iPhone obsessed, while written primarily for the iPhone 4 and 3GS camera, still applies to any iOS device with a camera. Although some tips and tricks for finding a great photo are included, the book’s focus is on apps and procedures to take a good photo and turn it into a great one. It’s all about post-production without a desktop. Use your iOS device to perform advanced manipulation that rivals some of the best desktop programs.

What I really liked about the book is QR codes in every section taking you to the app for purchase as well as online videos and tutorials that go into greater detail if you are interested. No long URLs to type: smart!

As a very novice photographer, some of the language and techniques used were a bit above my level and this book is written for photographers well-versed in concepts such as filters, lens flares and blurs. The audience for this book is experienced photographers wanting to take some of their techniques to iOS devices. This is the book when you’ve mastered Instagram and Hipstamatic and want more, much more.

Overall a great book and the apps and procedures reviewed should definitely improve the quality of my shots.

Pros: QR codes extending the book online, details of how to use the apps to make great photo manipulations
Cons: Requires photography knowledge

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

I saw PadPivot at Macworld 2011 and it was being pitched via Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdsourced funding project in which someone comes up with an idea and needs to convince people to give them money in order to take the product to market. The idea has be great for people to dish out their hard earned money with little or nothing in return. This isn’t investing because the donor doesn’t get a stake in the profits generally or shares. They might get a token premium like a T-shirt or coffee mug. The PadPivot is a great success story because it had to have such wide appeal.

One of the key features I immediately noticed is how with a few simple steps it compresses to the size of and thickness of a mobile phone making it easy to carry in your pocket, in your tablet sleeve or in a carry on. When it isn’t on the road with you, the PadPivot is a simple iPad stand with a groove and stabilizer to make sure it doesn’t fall over yet leaves room for your docking connector. Great to keep besides your computer or to use it to display pictures while charging.

In motion is where the PadPivot shines. When fully extended it forms a concave surface that you can place on your thigh or even your arm. Even a big guy like me had no problem getting the PadPivot to stay put on my leg. A grippy pad holds the tablet onto the PadPivot surface. It’s a loose fit, like a sticky note – enough to stay put, but can easily be knocked or bumped. The goal is to give you a bit of stability to keep your hands free and prevent the tablet from sliding off. This made typing very easy without a surface to place the iPad on since both hands could type instead of one gripping the iPad. This is a ‘killer app’ on a plane, with no room on that tiny tray table to prop the iPad up put plenty of room on my leg.

If you do have a flat surface upon which to put the PadPivot, you can use it to hold an iPad or iPhone to view content at a proper viewing angle of about 80 degrees.

Though I’m not a gamer, the PadPivot has a smooth and full range of motion to it allowing you to expertly drive that car or spacecraft and take full advantage of the accelerometer without worrying about your grip on the iPad.

If you travel at all with your iPad, even across the room, you’ll find the PadPivot an indispensable tool for keeping your focus on the iPad rather than holding it.

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

I’m not sure why they call this for Seniors because this seems like the average Dummies book. A good quality guide that covers all the major information you need to know. This book is extremely comprehensive and a novice might find it a bit intimidating. It’s geared more towards a intermediate user that already feels somewhat comfortable with an iPad

The one “senior” aspect of this book is the typeface. It’s BIG. Obviously it’s designed for those that may have trouble seeing. The book is designed for person that may not feel comfortable with technology which includes not just seniors but really anyone.

Having worked with seniors, I think this book presented too much information too quickly and the average novice might get overwhelmed with so much to do and configure on the iPad, and the books goes way beyond the basics.

Overall, for a senior that already feels comfortable with technology and is eager to learn, this book is a good fit. For novices or those afraid of technology, this may be too much.

Pros: Lots of details, big type
Cons: Maybe too much for information presented too quickly
Three out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

If you are giving or supporting an iPad for someone who is a baby boomer or older, this is a great book!

This book is specifically designed for senior adults who may not always feel comfortable with technology and face certain physical challenges when eyesight and mobility begin to fail. Unlike “dummy” style books, this book respects their life experience and doesn’t talk down to them.

Each chapter focuses on tasks rather than functions. Instead of presenting Safari, the chapter is entitled “Browsing the Web”. For novices who didn’t grow up with these terms, focusing on what the iPad can do rather than what it is called is vitally important.

The chapters state requirements as far as technology and skills. This way you’ll know if you have exactly what you need to proceed. During the explanation tips and tricks are given about how to use the iPad, but not as many tips on efficiency or shortcuts. Newbies will love that because they may simply not know all the great things the iPad can do and don’t want to get bogged down with a “simpler” way of doing it. They are just trying to learn the basics. In particular I think the color coding of this information was great. Red backgrounds for warning and green for tips makes it an easy read and less intimidating with too much black on white text. The ending of the chapters have a summary and a quiz to reinforce the learning. Outstanding

The one major flaw of this book is the print size. It’s bigger than the average manual but honestly, if your target market is older people with potential eyesight issues, I think the text should be much larger. Also, this is written in the UK and some of the British spellings and terms might throw American readers a bit

Pros: Focuses on tasks rather than technology, easy to understand for novices without talking down to them
Cons: Text should be larger

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

With the imminent demise of MobileMe, it’s time more of us move to iCloud and Lion, but with Apple thrusting this upon us, not all of us feel comfortable changing the way we’ve done things with MobileMe for years. Fortunately this book will alleviate your fears and make you a master.

The book, although multiplatform, focuses primarily on the Macintosh usage. Each aspect of iCloud is covered: mail, notes, iMessage, contacts, calendars, reminders, iPhto, iTunes, backups, documents, and search functions.
Each chapter gives an overview with objectives and then clearly organizes the information with tips, screenshots and easy to read diagrams.

The audience for this is beginner and intermediate users, although since the service is so new, we are all pretty much beginners and can learn from this book.

Missing is troubleshooting ideas when things go wrong, but this is a “quickstart” guide and not a comprehensive manual.

iCloud is fairly straightforward and not a huge leap from MobileMe, but it is different and this book explains to both new users to the product and migrating users everything they need to know to be successful

Pros: Covers the transition to iCloud and all the functions it entails
Cons: Can’t bring back the functions we miss in MobileMe!

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

The organization of the book is extremely focused. Each chapter covers a different aspect of what a user might need to do with their iPad such as writing, contacts, or presentations. Instead of showing you the basics of the iOS apps included in the iPad, David takes a holistic approach suggesting not just a variety of alternative apps but discussing suggested workflows and how to optimize these workflows for your individual business. No stone is left unturned here: billing/invoicing, databases, project management and more business specific concepts.

The chapters start with the coverage of the primary iOS apps as well complimentary or alternative apps. Each app is given a QRcode making for easy downloading on your iPhone. What a thoughtful and smart idea, but that’s MacSparky–the online identify of David Sparks. Great screen shots and succinct writing make this a quick and easy read and allows you to skip over the concepts you aren’t interested in. Don’t skip. Even if you know contact management or word processing, the tips and tricks to optimize usage are well work the short reads.

The appendix of the book includes industry specific suggestions for law, medicine construction and more.

A seriously awesome book by an industry luminary!

Pros: Organization and content focused on business
Cons: Absolutely none

My biggest concern with this book was that it was too advanced for a novice audience and too basic for an intermediate or advanced reader. For example, a novice doesn’t need to know about DHCP numbering schemes but an intermediate or advanced user doesn’t need to know about how to shutdown the computer.

The organization of the chapters is simply bizarre. The author’s flow is based on setup rather than usage. The starting chapter includes setup and networking and moves to sharing with other users, a clearly more advanced concept, and then swings back to running applications and then organizing files or folders. Waiting until chapter 5 to talk about web surfing really doesn’t make sense to me. Most users want to hook up their computers and immediately surf.

Later on in the book, information about remote connections and printer sharing are included, but given the same amount of space as sending an email or watching a DVD on a Mac. Different concepts require different amount of space to cover, so a new user might easily get overwhelmed they didn’t understand some of the more advanced concepts.

I’d like to say the topics were covered well but they weren’t. The illustrations were extremely busy with as many as 8 flags on one screen requiring a legend and color coding to decipher.

Pros: Comprehensive
Cons: Coverage of topics inconsistent, confusing illustrations, too much information for a novice and not enough for an intermediate user

Two out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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First, the Garmin Fit™ App for iPhone allows you to track your workouts in real time like many other apps. The real magic comes in with Garmin’s ANT+ Adapter for iPhone ($49.95) which allows you to interact with other fitness devices via a standard similar to Bluetooth. Garmin’s own heart rate monitor ($60.00) and Foot Pod ($69.99) interact with the ANT+ adapter and feed real time data into the Garmin Fit™ iPhone app, showing not just the distance you did, but how hard you worked out and how many calories you burned, so you can adjust your workouts accordingly. The app allows you to track your improvements and lets you strive for a bit harder, faster, or stronger workout. A third monitoring device made by Garmin and compatible with the iPhone hardware and software solution, the Speed/Cadence Bike Sensor, I didn’t test since I tried the Garmin solutions on internal gym fitness equipment.

Although it’s easiest to buy all your products from one place, the fact that the ANT+ adapter uses an established standard means you can interchange the Garmin Fit app and monitoring product as well as mix and match devices and apps that comply with ANT+. Standards are always easier to work with than proprietary solutions. Many gym devices already support ANT+ so you may not even need additional equipment besides the adapter.

While I am by no means a runner or fitness guru, the combination of the hardware and software gave me the data I needed in a way to understand it in order to improve my workouts and increase my cardiovascular fitness while losing weight.

Before I got the Garmin solution, I used a separate heart rate monitor with a watch. This was very difficult to use because any tracking required me to type the information into another application and that data was only a summary. I couldn’t see exactly how long I was at my target rate or adjust my workouts to exceed my goals.

The quality app combined with the Garmin fitness solution is an excellent combination for anyone looking to monitor their workouts a bit closer to maximize effectiveness.

Pros: Easy to use affordable equipment for monitoring your workouts to maximize effectiveness

Cons: You still have to work out!

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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This case is unique – typically extreme cases have a hard plastic interior and a softer silicone exterior to absorb impact and protect the headphone jack, dock, and volume switches. The Tank has a hard shell with integrated internal softer silicone protectors for the headphone jack and dock which are where moisture sensors are located. Because it’s integrated, you can’t chance the color when you want to try something different. The volume switches are protected but the speakers, microphone, rotation lock and camera remain naked and exposed to the world. This was an poor compromise in my opinion. Why only protect some parts if you are already adding bulk in the exterior?

Another feature of extreme cases is an integrated screen protector. No worrying about applying plastic to the screen with bubbles and lint trapped underneath. The drawback of the plastic overlays is they do impact the vibrancy of the screen as well as the general sensitivity. The case uses an accordion plastic overlay that can easily be pulled back to provide extra protection when not in use and full access when retracted.

On first glance this seemed like a great feature. This accordion plastic was thick and easily withstood direct impacts. A plastic overlay simply can’t protect like that. Unfortunately this for me was its greatest downfall. That thick plastic wasn’t fully transparent so anytime I had to read anything, I’d have to go through the process of retracting the plastic – even to answer the phone and see who was calling. I found myself too often keeping the plastic retracted and thus leaving my screen fully exposed.

One great feature of the Tank is an extremely well engineered belt clip. The iPhone fit tightly into a full cradle style clip. There was no risk of this slipping out like I find too often with other cases that are only gripped on the sides or the ends. The actual clip portion of the belt clip was several inches long and attached securely to my side. As a big guy, this was the first and only belt clip I was confident wouldn’t slip off when I got down or sat up. Since the screen faces outward in most belt clips, that screen protector is a great feature while it hangs on your side.

My problem with the Tank is that I’m the type of person constantly using the phone to play games, answer emails, check social media and even making phone calls. I can’t imagine going five or ten minutes and not using my phone for something and thus got extremely frustrated having to constantly move the screen protector out of the way. If you are that type of user, you’ll find the Tank about as practical as going grocery shopping in an M1.

However, if you keep your iPhone in your purse or book bag, that thick plastic will keep it well protected as it bounces around and bangs against keys, books and miscellaneous change. The belt clip was outstanding if you keep your phone more to your side than in your hand. You–with the self discipline not to be checking your phone all the time–I envy you.

If you check your phone constantly, the Tank is an exercise in frustration. However if screen protection is your ultimate goal and you don’t check your phone that often, the Tank may be your secret weapon to avoiding screen replacement. The best offense is a good defense as they say.

Pros: Great belt clip, outstanding screen protection
Cons: Not all ports protected, regular users will fine the screen protection too cumbersome

Two out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

I saw PadPivot at Macworld 2011 and it was being pitched via Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a crowdsourced funding project in which someone comes up with an idea and needs to convince people to give them money in order to take the product to market. The idea has be great for people to dish out their hard earned money with little or nothing in return. This isn’t investing because the donor doesn’t get a stake in the profits generally or shares. They might get a token premium like a T-shirt or coffee mug. The PadPivot is a great success story because it had to have such wide appeal.

One of the key features I immediately noticed is how with a few simple steps it compresses to the size of and thickness of a mobile phone making it easy to carry in your pocket, in your tablet sleeve or in a carry on. When it isn’t on the road with you, the PadPivot is a simple iPad stand with a groove and stabilizer to make sure it doesn’t fall over yet leaves room for your docking connector. Great to keep besides your computer or to use it to display pictures while charging.

In motion is where the PadPivot shines. When fully extended it forms a concave surface that you can place on your thigh or even your arm. Even a big guy like me had no problem getting the PadPivot to stay put on my leg. A grippy pad holds the tablet onto the PadPivot surface. It’s a loose fit, like a sticky note – enough to stay put, but can easily be knocked or bumped. The goal is to give you a bit of stability to keep your hands free and prevent the tablet from sliding off. This made typing very easy without a surface to place the iPad on since both hands could type instead of one gripping the iPad. This is a ‘killer app’ on a plane, with no room on that tiny tray table to prop the iPad up put plenty of room on my leg.

If you do have a flat surface upon which to put the PadPivot, you can use it to hold an iPad or iPhone to view content at a proper viewing angle of about 80 degrees.

Though I’m not a gamer, the PadPivot has a smooth and full range of motion to it allowing you to expertly drive that car or spacecraft and take full advantage of the accelerometer without worrying about your grip on the iPad.

If you travel at all with your iPad, even across the room, you’ll find the PadPivot an indispensable tool for keeping your focus on the iPad rather than holding it.

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

The Sport has 3 basic functions: Bluetooth audio, FM radio, and handsfree phone. All these functions are integrated into an extremely lightweight set of earbud style devices that are rain, dust and shock resistant.

The Bluetooth audio had great sound, but it was often a bit too low to listen to at the gym. I had trouble getting them to fit correctly into my ear. Fortunately a set of Yurbuds came to the rescue and I was extremely happy! The FM radio was good for gyms that broadcast the TV audio system on a close range frequency. Now I could watch TV and do the treadmill at the same time.

As a handsfree accessory for my iPhone, it was very easy to make and receive calls. Voice Control worked like normal which is to say not so great (no iPhone 4s with Siri test with!) Even while on the run, callers could hear me well and I could hear them. I was able to hangup on a caller and end the conversation from the controls on the earbud.

In general as a Bluetooth accessory, this device had some great added features that made it a delight to use. The device uses lights as well as verbal signals to tell you when you are paired, powered on, powered off, and connected. This is a great feature since the device is in your ear, you can’t easily see if it’s properly working.

Besides difficulty with the sound levels, as a glasses wearer the device’s wrap around style did cause some interference. I’d have to put the Jabra on first and then my glasses; not a major inconvenience, but a minor annoyance.

The killer feature was the way it tracked battery. When the battery gets low it announces battery low over your audio (but not during a call). As it gets lower the warnings get faster. Additionally the device taps into a underutilized iOS feature that tracks the battery level of a Bluetooth handsfree device. The icon shows up next to the Bluetooth icon and is in the shape of Apple’s original Bluetooth handsfree for the iPhone. Now I could see exactly how much I had left and when I need to recharge. Nothing is more frustrating than your tunes cutting out midworkout. With 4.5 hours of talk time and 3 hours of music you’ll have to charge it often, but it uses a standard micro-usb port as well as includes an AC adapter for charging independent of a computer.

Overall great sound with a set of killer features that make this a welcome addition to your workout.

Pros: Lightweight, durable and great hands-free wireless functions
Cons: Not always loud enough, difficult to fit in some ear and eyeglass configurations

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

OS X Lion is a significant change in the way you interact with your
Mac and for previous Mac users these changes can be a bit
intimidating. This book assumes basic knowledge of Macs and
computers. No hand holding about how to turn it on or how to use the
mouse. You should already be experienced with computing, but not
necessarily a Mac. This should be a “switchers” bible, although it
doesn’t make direct reference to PC to Mac transition, it does tell
you how to do typical tasks such as email, browsing and file
management on he Mac platform.

The book takes the reader through the key aspects of Lion such as the
Finder, iCal, Address Book and the slew of other programs that come
with it such as TextEdit, Preview and iChat and incorporates how new
features such as Gestures, Resume, and Mission Control changes the Mac
experience for the better.

Rounding out the end of the book are chapters about how to use system
wide features such as data detectors and pdf as well as some great
guides to troubleshooting and personalizing your Mac and most
important, Time Machine backups.

Typical of anything Robin Williams is involved in, this book has a
vivid, elegant and simple layout that makes for an enjoyable read.
Too often tech books are either terribly text heavy or have so many
screen shots that you feel like you are reading a comic book. Mac OS X
Lion dances that line between the two quite well. Excellent examples
with detailed textual descriptions.

Pros: Excellent review of OS X Lion, easy read
Cons: Not included with every Mac Sale

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Do you deal with PDF files frequently? Don’t want to deal with Adobe products (Adobe Reader), but need more power than Apple’s built-in Preview? Smile Software’s (formerly Smile on My Mac) PDFpen ($59.95) and PDFpenPro ($99.95) may be the perfect application for you.

I’ve been using their TextExpander software for a few years now and was excited to try another one of their signature programs.

I’ve been happily and successfully using Apple’s Preview for almost all of my PDF needs for many years now. I’ve always been able to open, view, combine and rearrange multiple PDFs with ease. However, there are a few features that I have never been able accomplish with Preview.

As an educator, I often deal with many PDF files that are related to a specific unit or topic. I can easily combine multiple PDF’s into one document, but once the number of pages becomes unwieldy it’s difficult to organize the document and maneuver through it. PDFpenPro solves this problem by allowing me to create a table of contents. Adding items to the table of contents is as easy as highlighting the text that I want to use as the table of contents entry and then hitting a keyboard shortcut to add the entry. PDFpenPro also gives me the option to make the entry a “child” (sub-entry) or an “aunt” (promoting the entry to a higher level). The table of contents then holds these entries as clickable items to move directly to that section of the document. When I’ve combined a large number of PDF files, I can also use PDFpenPro’s page numbering feature to either add regular page numbering or Bates numbering (often used in legal documents) to all pages within the newly combined document.

If a PDF has a text layer, then PDFpenPro allows a number of changes to be made to the document. You can select text and have it changed to editable text so that you can change the text to whatever you’d like. You can highlight and redact text as well. Redacting text means to obscure part of the text by either erasing it completely or blocking it from view. This particular function is probably not one that I need in my line of work, but others may find it useful when blocking names or other identifying information for privacy reasons.
PDFpenPro also enhances on Preview’s ability to annotate PDFs. You can add comments, URL links, text boxes, lines, arrows, and other drawing features right on top of the original PDF. It is my understanding that this annotated PDF is then readable by others even if they do not own a PDFpen product. All the recipient needs to do is open the file in Adobe Reader and all annotations are viewable.

One of the most frequently advertised features of PDFpen and PDFpenPro is the built-in OCR (Optical Character Recognition) engine. You can set up the program to ask to OCR when you open a scanned document or you can import a document directly from your scanner into the application.

For those who are often required to fill-in PDF forms, PDFpenPro allows you to fill in, save, and even overlay your signature. Doing this is as easy as having a JPG or a PNG of your signature and then dragging it into the file. This can then be changed to a transparent image so that you can place it anywhere in your document. Your signature can then be placed in the PDFpen Library so that you can have fast and easy access to it. Place other frequently used items in this Library as well.

PDFpen and PDFpenPro have too many features to completely cover in this review. My bullet-list of other favorite features are as follows:
Save to Evernote
Save webpages as multipage PDF’s (Pro only)
Cropping, repositioning, and editing images
Create interactive, cross-platform PDF’s (Pro only)

To see a full list of features and compare it to other PDF manipulation software, please see the following links.

PDFpenPro features: http://www.smilesoftware.com/PDFpenPro/features.html
Feature Comparisons with other software: http://www.smilesoftware.com/PDFpen/compare.html

PDFpenPro is just what I need to take my PDFs to the next level. If it sounds like something you’d like to try, you can download a free trial of either program from their website at http://smilesoftware.com/. If you feel overwhelmed and feel the need for a tutorial, Don McAllister from ScreenCastsOnline has recorded several short screencasts covering different aspects of the programs. You can view those at http://smilesoftware.com/PDFpen/screencast/

Log Leech won’t necessarily explain these logs but will help you at least find those nuggets of information locked in the haystack. Once installed the program will take all the log entries and sort them attractively by program (and associated icon) as well as by date. You can then use the icon to hone in on the specific information you want.

When problems develop with your Mac and you aren’t sure what could be the program, a look at Log Leech might help you find the answers. More than once opening Log Leech revealed the reason problems were occurring that I couldn’t easily find by looking at the console. Console lumps all your program information together. You can’t always see what you need when you are faced with an overwhelming screen of random code.

Log Leech take the copious amounts of trivial information in the console and organizes it into an easy to use and read fashion. The Console App reminds me of DOS and the Unix world while Log Leech reminds me of a Mac.

Pros: Great for reading logs and deriving information from
Cons: Apple will buy this app and include it in the OS if they are smart

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Office Time for the Mac and iOS makes sure none of those valuable dollars and cents slip through your fingers, and more importantly helps you bill that to a third party.

Office Time for the Mac starts off as a general time tracking program. You can set a series of projects and categories to figure out exactly what you are doing and whom you are doing it for. For example, if you are working on a website project, you might put the website as the project name, coding as the category and then put in notes about exactly what you are coding. You can even specify what your billable rate is. With this level of detail available, you’ll be able to tell the client exactly how the bill was derived and where their money is going.

For professional management, you can use advanced reporting such as graphs and spreadsheets to determine where you time and money are going. In particular I used the program to make detailed reports of exactly how much I spend on different types of projects to know if I should hire additional administrative or technical staff. Office Time also allows exporting for more advanced analysis.

In order to prevent you from missing out on any missed time, Office Time uses a menu bar icon to quickly log a specific project and begin tracking the information. Switching tasks is as easy as choosing from the menu. Should you walk away from the computer or get distracted (dog barking, phone call etc), Office Time will recognize no activity and offer to remove that time from billing or place it in another category (which typically isn’t something you can bill).

Since so many of us are on the road and may not be at our main computer, Office Time also has a separate iOS application that works great on both the iPhone and iPad (full screen on the iPad). The iOS application will sync on demand when both your main computer and iOS device are on the same wireless network. Over the air syncing on wifi or 3G would be great, but I fully understand why these limitations exist.

No stone was left unturned in the design of this program. Since expenses often go along with billed time, Office Time for both MacOS and iOS includes expense tracking that can be directly integrated with the projects and categories. You can sync the information with iCal so you can visually see your projects and where your time is going.

Best of all, from right in the program, you can set custom invoicing to send our your bills, or export the data into your favorite accounting program. The program is not for accounting so it won’t track whether you’ve been paid or if an item is past due, but you can still get your invoices out quickly. International users will appreciate the ability to track in multiple currencies. If you don’t know what an invoice is and you bill your time, this program is a great place to start.

Now, you have absolutely no excuse not to track your time and billables. Except, of course, your own laziness. At least with Office Time, you can’t blame your tools but only your actual productivity. Office Time will save you time and help you bill it better than any program I’ve seen.

4.5 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Title: Now that I have a Mac with Lion, what do I do?

This book, despite its title, isn’t as much a book about Lion as it is a book about how to use a Mac with Lion to do certain neat projects. Most Mac users can figure out email and surfing the web, but what about taking your DVD collection and putting in on your Mac?

Before purchasing this book, read through the projects. Even if one of them interests you, the book will be a great value. If you aren’t interested in any of this, then it’s probably worth taking a pass. Projects are as follows

1) Organizing your files
2) Mastering Spotlight searches
3) Printing to save paper
4) Installing applications purchased at the Mac App store
5) Providing Remote Technical Support
6) Remote controlling a Mac in your home
7) Accessing your files remotely from another Mac
8) Using DropBox
9)) Copying DVD content to your Mac
10) Basic photo editing and touch ups
11) Creating a slideshow
12) Using Rapid Weaver for a family website
13) RSS Feeds
14) Configuring TextExpander
15) Full screen mode to avoid distractions
16) Audio Podcasting
17) Setting up Time Machine alongside a cloning solution
18) Using your signature in a PDF

Each of these projects are short–just four of five pages. The book is easy to understand and the projects are fun and relevant. They assume a basic to intermediate knowledge of Lion. No explanations of files or how to click a mouse is included.

Since I knew how to do all of this or the things I didn’t know didn’t interest me, I didn’t find the book that valuable. I learned this stuff the hard way through trial and error. However if someone asked me how to do any of these small projects, you bet I’ll suggest this book.

New Mac users who simply want to feel more comfortable with their Mac and need some ideas of projects will find this book ideal. If I did Macintosh tutoring this would be a great companion manual.

Overall, a fun book for intermediate Mac users with relevant and interesting projects.

Pros: Excellent digest of fun projects to get to know Lion and your Mac better
Cons: Limited scope if you already know how to do these things or if they don’t interest you.

Five out of Five

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Logo Design Studio Pro is a great program for those of us who have very little design skills. In fact, its name only scratches the surface of what this handy little program can do.

Apple came out with iPhoto for those of us who needed basic, powerful and intuitive ways of managing our photos and then took that iEthic to movies, DVDs, music and more. Unfortunately design was left out of the picture. Sure iWork can help you create and manage presentations, but graphic design is not its strong suite.

Logo Design Pro might as well be called iDesign because it takes the ideals of the iLife suite and brings it to graphic design. The foundation of the program is Logo Design. A series of templates don’t just give you ideas of logos based on your industry and what you do, but include a series of tasteful graphics and “taglines” for your business.

Being a extreme novice (I hate the word “dummy”), I was still able to great some pretty nice logos in just a few minutes. Moreover I was able to create designs for a wide variety of settings, including a Keynote presentations (see how well this works with iLife!). Open an existing template, add some of the included art objects, some fonts and color and there you have it!

The designs created by the program are “vector” based which means they can be shrunk and enlarged without any loss of resolution or quality. This is the accessible equivalent of FreeHand and Illustrator and for those that remember, MacDraw.

Even if you have a logo, you’ll still love this program. Presentations, web graphics, and flyers can all be enhanced with the tools this program gives you. Import your logo and jazz it up a bit with some graphics and wrapped text. Create a business card on the fly or just enhance a iWork or Microsoft Word document with some easy pizzazz.

My only major complaint with the program was skimpy documentation and included help (the help is virtually identical to the included program guide). The help didn’t conform to the typical Apple design and actually used icons from Windows help. Uggh.

Pros: Easy to use, powerful, and very intuitive
Cons: Skimpy help

Five out of Five Dogcows

5 out of 5 dogcows

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First, batteries are so 20th century. With the ample amount of light in most homes and offices, the constant swapping and charging of batteries is wasteful and annoying. The K750 is solar powered and solar charging. Once it’s fully charged, the specifications indicate you can use it in total darkness for 3 months. A handy app allows you to check the exact charge left in the unit. After using it for a few months the keyboard has always tested at 100%.

The keyboard is sleek and comes in five different colors (including Apple’s standard aluminum). I like the black because, hey, black is the new black. This is a full keyboard including a numeric keypad and a full set of function keys across the top. The Mac version of this keyboard has the command keys in the correct place as well as the function alternatives for Mission Control/Dashboard at the top. The typing was extremely responsive with a soft and smooth touch. “Delightful” is the word that comes to mind.

The wireless technology uses the “Logitech Unifying receiver” which is a USB dongle for all of Logitech’s wireless peripherals. All things being equal I would have preferred Bluetooth based technology. Bluetooth wouldn’t use one of my USB ports and would allow me to use the keyboard with iOS devices. Annoying, but I understand sacrifices have to be made.

The Logitech K750 for Mac is a great wireless keyboard for users that type often and don’t like constantly changing batteries.

Pros: Save money and hassle’s using solar technology, full featured keyboard that is easy to type on

Cons: Requires a proprietary dongle, doesn’t support Bluetooth

Five out of Five Dogcows

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The writing style is direct and straightforward and assumes familiarity and comfort with previous versions of MacOS such as Leopard or Snow Leopard. This is not a beginner’s book and lacks the handholding and screen shots you’ll find in a “non-technical” book.

Starting with the installation process, the book walks through the key features the average user needs to know about and ends with a great troubleshooting and short-cut guide. If you aren’t a manual reader, this book is for you. It gives you just enough information to explore the features quickly without being bogged down by long explanations or tutorials. Consider this more of an outline and a getting started than a extensive manual on all things Lion, which is just what some of us need!

Pros: Short, succinct and just what you need to get started
Cons: Requires basic knowledge of MacOS, not for beginners.

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Microsoft Office 2011 Visual Quickstart Guide

The book starts with explaining exactly what is new in each part of the Office Suite and previews what experienced users might want to focus on. The book leaves no stone unturned, covering not just the PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Outlook but includes the esoteric extras such as My Day, Sky Drive and Office Web Apps.

In particular this book handles both beginner and advanced topics. Those users experienced with Office basics can look at the table of contents and quickly jump to the function they are most interested in. Don’t know what Sparklines are in 2011? Quickly jump to a great explanation on the subject. While the book is larger than the typical Visual Quickstart guide, the information was very accessible

As an experienced Office user on both the Mac and PC, I found this an invaluable resource to optimize my investment in this new version. The final chapters were golden as they really tied all the programs together and focused on interoperability between them.

Overall this is a great book for anyone using Microsoft Office 2011!

Pros: Covers all aspects of the suite in detail in a manner beginners will understand and advanced users will be able to master

Cons: None!

5 out of 5 dogcows

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The Step by Step series is a lesson-based training program, but you can easily avoid the actual lessons in order to use the book as a reference guide. In this case the actual training exercises are pretty minimal and could have easily been omitted and still retain the book’s value.

The book is extremely well-laid out with a great table of contents and index. Each chapter introduces the concepts it covers and the key points and then reviews them at the end. For users of an Exchange server, the lessons cover both Exchange-based accounts as well as traditional IMAP/POP email systems. Users new to Microsoft products as well as seasoned Entourage and Outlook for the PC users will still find the book’s lessons accessible and of value. If you already know a concept, the book makes it very easy to skip that section.

Unfortunately since the book was printed, Microsoft made significant changes to the sync functions and now that Apple is retiring MobileMe, these sections will be subject to additional changes. Such is the nature of tech books.

Pros: Easy to understand lessons and comprehensive review of features
Cons: Lessons not terribly substantive

4 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Macware’s Disk Tools Pro is an excellent all-around utility for maintaining, optimizing and protecting your Macintosh hard drive. The suite of modules is an excellent addition to the market and possibly your own hard drive, especially older ones.

The primary focus of the program is to test the integrity of your hard drive’s structure and data integrity. Unlike Apple’s Disk Utility and other programs, Disk Tools Pro will proactively monitor your S.M.A.R.T. status and disk space and will allow you to schedule a battery of tests and procedures.

For hard drive testing, some functions such as optimization, volume repair, and scan/reassigning (they call this repair but that is really inaccurate) of bad sectors can be on a boot volume, but may be limited in scope. Full testing and repair requires the drive to be dismounted, which obviously can’t be done on a boot volume. Others tests such as preference file testing, file analysis, backup, broken alias/symbolic link files, and benchmarking can all be done on the primary drive.

Where Disk Tools Pro shines is its ability to schedule most of its tasks, so you can easily backup or clone a drive on a set schedule or do regular maintenance during off times. Another great feature of this program is the fact it works on older systems running 10.3.9 as well as Apple’s latest systems as of this writing.

Overall the suite has a clean and easy to use interface with sufficient animation and graphics to explain its functions without being confusing or too technical. Each function is presented in either a “cover flow” style fashion or easily accessible from a menu.

The price for all these features is steep at $79.99 and most of functions of this suite can be found in other shareware or freeware programs, but the convenience of having it all in one place and having scheduling is of great value.

Pros: Comprehensive utility suite in a well designed package compatible with older systems
Cons: Cost

4 out of 5 dogcows

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Microsoft Office 2011 Portable Genius

Each major program of the Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook) is given an introduction and then a series of in-depth analyses. At the beginning, the geography of the program screen is introduced along with a survey of major menu items and preferences as well as keyboard shortcuts for these functions. For intermediate and advanced users, these intros can easily be skipped. Ideally these menu and shortcut guides should be in the last chapter of the section because new users might get intimidated with the twenty or so different ways to do a simple task.

The book’s style is highly visual and focused on functions, answering “How do I” questions. Unfortunately there is often no designation between which functions are new to Office 2011 and functions that have been there since the beginning (Outlook excluded since it hasn’t been on the Mac platform for a long time). In particular, Excel’s new Sparklines function wasn’t covered nor were the collaboration aspects of the Skydrive. While these aren’t as important as printing emails or creating formulas, users upgrading from previous versions might have found some coaching useful.

The final chapters of the book briefly cover Microsoft Communicator, Remote Desktop Connection as well as using Microsoft resources to get help with the program.

Experienced users of previous versions of Office for the Mac or PC won’t find much value in this book, but for novice users new to the Microsoft family of products, this book will help them transition nicely.

Pros: Adequate guide to Office 2011
Cons: Lacks coverage and specificity of new features

3 out of 5 Dogcows

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Although the iPad has excellent sound, it will never fool you into thinking it’s a true stereo system. However, wiith the PadDock 10 you get a rich full sound you’d expect from a set of standalone speakers. Unlike many other products, the PadDock was designed for the iPad rather then retrofit from an iPhone solution. This device serves three main purposes: iPad stand, charging dock, and stereo speakers, and does all of them well.

As an stand, the iPad fits securely and snugly into the unit. Other stands for the iPad generally hold the unit in place via gravity or a few clips. Since this is an actual dock, the dock connector holds it in place and the top of the unit has a firm clip that ensure the iPad isn’t going anywhere when the unit rotates. This snug fit does get some getting used to when placing the iPad into the dock or removing it. The rotation of the stand is 360 degrees, but at each 90 degree interval the stand has a soft lock making sure the rotation doesn’t stray. Clips at the four corners prevent you from having to put pressure on the iPad to rotate it. An elegant and stylish black and grey design matches the aesthetics of your iPad.

As a charging dock, the unit allows you to expand the type of cables used to charge your iPad. Included is USB power cord that uses a type A male connector to power the unit instead of the standard charging cable that came with your iPad. The PadDock also comes with a USB to USB Mini cable creating a more standardized solution. To charge, I was able to use a variety of USB chargers including the stub charger that came with my iPad. I liked keeping my original iPad cable connected to my Mac for syncing and using the PadDock to charge my iPad. To sync your iPad to your computer via a PadDock, you’ll need to flip a switch to go from charge to sync.

As stereo speakers, the dock’s sound was outstanding for its size. Compared with other bedside and table solutions that sound tinny, the PadDock had substantial bass and was able to achieve fairly high volume that let me listen to music and watch videos while working out on a treadmill at my home gym. I keep the PadDock in the kitchen to listen to music while cooking and keeping the iPad up out of harm’s way.

Eventually, my PadDock ended up in the kitchen so I could listen to music or view instructional vidoes, keep the iPad safe, and charge all at the same time. Overall this is an outstanding product that serves many functions. If you’ve upgraded to an iPad 2, the PadDock is a perfect way to extend the function and flexibility of your original iPad as an entertainment station.

Pros: Flexible stand and dock charger, quality stereo speakers
Cons: Tricky to move iPad in and out

4 out of 5

Five out of Five Dogcows

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When you are looking for true charging power on the road, few external batteries can beat the RichardSolo 9000 Mobile Charger. The 9000 mAh battery will keep your iPhone or iPad charged for a long, long time!

RichardSolo has been an industry leader for iPhone chargers and the 9000 continues that tradition. The device comes in an attractive carrying case that contains a retractable USB charger as well as a standard USB charging cable (to be used as a spare). It does not come with any wall charging unit so you’ll either have to use the AC to USB adapter that came with your iPad or iPod or purchase one from RichardSolo (I’ve been using their dual USB car charger for years). There’s room for it in the case. I’m slightly annoyed that the device doesn’t charge via more standard USB Mini or Micro chargers, but obviously with 9000 mAh some concessions need to be made.

The device charges in about 8 hours and has indicators for 100%, 70% and 30% charge. In actual usage I got almost a full charge for my iPad. The charger is smart enough to know what type of USB charge to provide. It comes with no charging cables so you will have to bring your own and it can charge any device that uses a USB port. I did notice the smart charging was a bit more particular about the cables I used. Not all my USB cables worked on the device, but that wasn’t a real problem. I was delighted to have so much power on the road. I used it to charge a wide variety of USB devices such as my iPad, my iPhone, my personal hotspot, my bluetooth headphones and more. My laptop only has two USB ports so the Richard Solo 9000 allowed me to be truly mobile without sacrifice.

Of course with that much capacity, the device is going to be heavy. It weighs in at about 10 ounces and is a bit bulky, but the case makes it much easier to travel with. The black and silver accents match nicely with Apple’s current design aesthetic and if you didn’t know better you’d think Apple made it.

If you are looking for maximum portability with your iPad or iPhone, Richard Solo’s 9000 mAh mobile charger will keep your going on the road! Excellent capacity and compatibility make this an ideal choice for road warriors like myself

Pros: Outstanding capacity and compatibility with thoughtful accessories.
Cons: Non-standard USB charging cable, bulky

Four out of Five Dogcows

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While I’m a huge fan of extreme case protection for the iPhone 4 (my current favorite is the Griffin Survivor), one of the problems is that this extra protection frequently prevents my iPhone from fitting into various docking solutions and cable connectors. Fortunately, two products from CableJive solve this problem. You can have your protection and still keep your existing accessories.

The dockStubz is a simple yet effective 1.3 inch tall adapter that sits between your existing dock and the iPhone (or iPod touch and iPad depending on the situation) The svelte 30 pin male connector is designed to slip through most bulky cases without encumbrance providing a vital link to your existing investments. I’ve used it effectively with the entire Otterbox product line as well as select cases from Ballistic and Griffin. Just in case you need some extra power, the dockStubz also has a mini USB jack that can be used to provide power directly. Great for users who have existing devices that charge via mini USB: no need for an Apple iPhone charging cable.

For situations in which you need not just a more compatible male connector, but a bit of reach, the dockXtender has the same style connector as the dockStubz, but also provides two or six feet of cable extension. I’ve tried other cable extenders but run into the problem of fitting into my case. I could use my dockStubz with an existing cable extender, but why do that when CableJive provides an all in one great solution that protects the integrity of the signal? The dockXtender was a handy tool for using my existing iPhone accessories with my iPad, a total win-win device.

Although I did not test this aspect of the product, Cablejive proactively reports that the dockStubz does not work with the Apple VGA or HDMI adapters.

Both the dockStubz and dockXtender are necessary tools for anyone with a bulky iPhone case who still wants to interact with the existing iPhone accessories, cables, and adapters. Viewing their website, I appreciate their proactive warning to consumers and generous return policy for those with incompatible adapters

Pros: Effectively adapts existing 30-pin devices to practically any case
Cons: Problems with some Apple adapters

Five out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

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Enter the SleepPhones: a great way to listen to audio while you are sleeping. As someone who suffers from chronic insomnia, I frequently listen to mp3s designed to help me relax and fall asleep. In order to do this I either need to sleep in a separate room or use headphones. The problem, of course is that headphones are uncomfortable and interrupt or prevent sleep. The SleepPhones have found that balance of a comfortable solution that stays in place and doesn’t get in the way.

The soft fleece headband can be worn over the forehead or, as I often do, use it as a sleep mask to protect your eyes and block out the light. Two adjustable speakers are encased in the headband and can be moved to an exact position on top of your ears. At the beginning I didn’t quite realize this and found the volume too low and disruptive to my sleeping companion. Once I found the proper placement, volume issues were resolved. Note that as you sleep they may move so each night that I have to use them, I have to spend a minute or two to find the proper placement. The long headphone jack allows me to clip the iPod onto the side of the bed or pillow case without encumbrance.

The headband is machine washable with the speaker buds removed, but I’d suggest hand washing as the fleece headband probably is not sturdy enough for continued run-ins with an agitator. I was disappointed the product only had a six month warranty, but I’ve used it for over four months without incident. I’m a bit wary of any product with such a short warranty.

If you are looking for a great solution for audio on your way to dreamland, SleepPhones delivers on its promises. The headband speaker combination allows you to fall asleep and not disturb others in the room.

Pros: Works great as part of a sleep solution
Cons: Speakers frequently fall out of alignment, paltry six month warranty

Four out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

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After downloading the driver software (no CD is included), the Doxie allows you to scan directly to online service such as Google Documents, Flickr, and Evernote as well as workstation based solutions such as iPhoto and PDF. The software must be running in the background in order for scanning to work, but does not need to be the currently running application.

Pressing on the “heart” button after loading a document begins the scan process. One very annoying aspect of the product is the over-the-top cuteness of that starts with the heart motif. Not only is the scan button a heart but hearts dot the logo on the scanner as well. Even the name Doxie screams cuteness and can either be a miniature dachshund or slang for a lady of the evening: neither of which evokes serious professional work. This is not the type of product I’d pull out at a business meeting.

The software uses a anthropomorphized female version of the scanner complete with a pink (or blue) background as well as fishnet stockings and high heels. I don’t know why Doxie thinks a scanner needs gender, but my British friends tell me that Doxie is slang for a woman of ill repute, so maybe this all makes sense. Fortunately this “feature” can be turned off and you can opt for a simple interface.

The Doxie scanned documents well. In order for the scanner to engage, the item being scanned had to be flush with the right hand side of the scanner and if the item was an irregular size, the scanner might stop in the middle of the scan. The scanner path was slightly curved which caused problems with stiff or irregular documents-I wouldn’t put anything precious through this scanner as I’d often have problems with it jamming.

The scanner software does not include optical character recognition (OCR) but relies on third-party options such as Google documents’ built in (but limited) option or other programs.

For pictures, the software included only basic preset options such as dpi and color vs greyscale. Selecting more esoteric options such as descreening and color depth were limited. The sheet fed aspect of this scanner doesn’t allow you to specify scan area.

Overall the scanner was a great value at $149 even with its saccharine image. For basic document and picture scanning, Doxie is a great choice and the cloud approach is a neat angle to the product. Irregular, precious, or stiff documents should be avoided with this scanner though.

Pros: Value, portable usb-powered, cloud scanning options
Cons: Too cute, sometimes jams

Two out of Five Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows

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When you want true power, power to dominate your iDevices, look no further than the ChargeBlock for iPad. Not only will it charge your iPad (1 or 2) or iPhone but practically any USB devices and does so with a size and dimension not much different than previous generations of iPhones. This is simply a must-have device for power on the road.

With its 8200 mAh capacity, Miccus claims it can provide 13 hours of use and for the iPhone 4 it can provide 61 hours of talk time. Wow. The amazing part is this power fits into a stylish eight ounce package. Included with the ChargeBlock is a USB cable and interchangeable tips for USB powered devices: Mini & Micro USB, Nokia, LG, Motorola, iPod, and iPad. It also includes a 12VDC cable with changeable tips for PSP, DVD, smd GPS. It includes a wall charger as it cannot generally charge via a standard USB port.

Style and aesthetics were clearly at play here because not only is it powerful, but simply gorgeous. Capacity is indicated by three neon blue lights so you have a good idea how much of charge you have left. It can pass through charge any devices connected via USB making it an ideal travel charger. When not charging, a rocker switch turns off the battery. The black mirror finish and silver accents match your iPhone or iPad’s design perfectly.

At $99 retail, the device isn’t cheap but gives great value with its high capacity and ergonomic design. Why pay a little bit less for half the capacity?

The ChargeBlock for iPad is the perfect mix of power, style, and function for effective charging of any USB device on the road, but especially an iPad.

Pros: High capacity, well designed
Cons: None I can find

Five out of Five Dogcows

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Mophie’s Juice Pack Reserve gives you a few extra ounces of courage, or in this case battery, to top off your day, but lacks the power and flexibility to be a reliable external battery charger.

Although it’s the size is somewhat large at 1.60 in x 3.15 in x 0.63 in it only contains 1000mAh of battery power. That’s inconsistent with its size. Batteries with higher capacity come in a smaller size and I really expect more from such a large device.

This external charger has a unique feature I found quite annoying. It has a retractable dock connector which makes for easy travel but for difficult use. The connector wouldn’t stay in place. It would come out while carrying and would fall out of the iPhone during use. This is simply poor design that lacks the real world testing that would have shown what a terrible idea this was. A locking mechanism (most retractable pens have this) would have gone a long way to improve this product.

It does have two interesting pluses. First it has a carabiner keychain to attach to a purse or laptop bag. Additionally it has a handy-dandy flashlight, but its power was meager at best. Good for finding a lock in the dark and not much more.

Most users of external battery chargers would be best off with another product, but if you don’t mind the retractable connector and need a small boost of power you can carry on a keychain or attach to a bag then this product might be a good choice. Otherwise move on to either another Mophie product or a external charger from someone else.

Pros: flashlight and carabiner keychain
Cons: meager capacity and flashlight, awkward connector

One out of Five Dogcows

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Similar to the Defender, this Survivor provides 3 layers of protection. The first layer is a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame interior that wraps around most of the phone. The second layer is a clear plastic overlay that protects the screen without impeding audio or the camera. Finally, a thick silicone overlay protects every aspect of your iPhone including the dock and speaker jack (where the water sensors are located).

The silicone overlay is truly unique and reminds me of the earlier Otterbox Defender 3G cases. On each of the four corners (where impact is likely) the silicone is up to a quarter-inch thick and when dropped on this corner my iPhone literally bounced (the test was an accident, but I was nonetheless impressed). The flaps protecting the dock and headphone jack actually include a plug to form a tight seal when closed. According to Griffin, the ports block blown sand/dust (up to 18 m/sec for 1 hour). Water resistance isn’t claimed, but can be inferred given this sealed design. In a video shown on their website, the iPhone is dropped in a snow pack and still continues to work.

The belt clip is a great design with a minimal clip that attaches to the bottom of the case. It can be used in a vertical and horizontal position. You need to make sure it clips properly. I didn’t one time and learned the hard way how well the silicone bounces the iPhone when dropped.

An annoying flaw exists that may be a deal killer for some users. The flap protecting the rear facing camera is normally closed, is not removable and won’t stay open by itself. If you want to quickly snap a picture you need to manually hold the flap open. More than once I got a blank picture because I forgot to open the flap before taking a picture. I got used to it, but if you rely on being able to take a quick picture with your iPhone, this may not be the case for you. I didn’t mind, but other testers got quite frustrated and said they’d simply remove the flap if they used the case long term.

Despite the camera flap, I simply loved this case. Sure it adds heft and bulk to your svelte iPhone, but this isn’t about fashion, it’s about protection. Hands down, the Griffin Survivor is the best case to protect your iPhone 4. Its three layer protection, sealed flaps, and excellent belt clip make it an ideal choice for iPhone users needing ultimate protection.

Pros: Great protection for your iPhone 4 from practically any mishap
Cons: Annoying camera flap gets in the way, belt clip can be confusing, bulky

Five out of Five Dogcows

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The Super-Juice Power case by Dexim is an external iPhone 4 case combined with a 2000 mAh battery. Unlike other cases I’ve seen in this style, Dexim has thought of everything and this is the battery case I’d recommend above all others currently on the market.

The battery power is similar to that of the Mophie Juice Pack Plus and claims to supply an extra 2000 mAh to your device to allow for 6 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video, or 40 hours of music. It uses a micro-usb cable to charge itself and to provide pass-through charging to the iPhone. Three blue LED’s in the back indicate the level of charge the device is providing and a small button in the back can turn off the battery boost when not in use.

The Super-Juice’s strength is in its design particulars. Unlike most other cases I’ve seen in this category, the iPhone 4 is easily removed from the Super-Juice. Release the top hood and the iPhone slides out. However, the hood stays attached to the case so you can’t lose it. Why other manufactures haven’t taken this step really surprises me. More than one external battery case I’ve had in the past was rendered useless by losing a critical part.

The back of the Super-Juice has a little “kickstand” that can keep the iPhone in landscape mode on a table or another flat surface. This is perfect for watching video on a plane and is a simple little extra that makes all the difference.

My only major complaint is the fact that the plastic of the case has a glossy finish which can become slippery in sweaty hands. I intend to attach a few grip slips to prevent the case from slipping. Since it comes only in white, I might use the grip strips to jazz the color up a bit.

Overall, the Super-Juice Power Case by Dexim is a high capacity external battery and case that keeps you going all day with your iPhone 4 and has subtle design features and extras that make it best of class.

Pros: 2000vmAh battery, kickstand, integrated design so nothing gets lost
Cons: Only comes in white, glossy finish to the plastic.

Four out of Five Dogcows

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This integrated Bluetooth keyboard and case copies the original design of the first iBook so much that more than one person asked why I was carrying a black iBook. If they ever make this in blue or orange, there will be many confused people out there.

When the iPad is placed in this case, it looks like the typical laptop: screen on top and keyboard on the bottom. Close the iCapsule just like you would a clamshell style laptop (though the iPad won’t go to sleep when you close it) You’ll notice there isn’t a pointing device or trackpad on this “laptop”, which got annoying after a while. I was so used to typing on it like a laptop I’d instinctively move my thumbs towards the trackpad rather than the screen. That’s a testament to how seamless the transition from the iPad experience was.

The actual case provides no padding, but has a handle and is made of hard plastic so mishaps are less likely. The screen is somewhat protected from impact when closed because it is flush with the keyboard. Occasionally debris from the keyboard was transferred to the iPad screen when the case was closed (incidentally, this is a common problem with traditional laptops).

While the iCapsule had your typical keys including control, option and escape, it replaced the typical function keys with a variety of handy quick keys such as full volume and music controls (pause, play etc) as well as selection, copy, spotlight and keyboard toggling. This is very handy for someone doing serious work on an iPad.

iPad purists will balk at the amount of bulk this adds to the iPad and that it somehow defeats its purpose. Partially they are right. Many people replace their laptop with an iPad because they want a lightweight powerful alternative with incredible battery life. Of course, serious typing is near impossible on the iPad. Typing on the iCapsule was quick and responsive. The device takes two AA batteries, but the keyboard goes to sleep after non-use.

Unfortunately the iCapsule suffers a near fatal flaw that I hope gets fixed in later releases. While the designers left space to plug in headphones on the side, they failed to include a port for the 30 pin connector. The only way to charge your iPad is to remove it from the iCapsule. Over time it becomes a pain to constantly remove your iPad in order to charge it. Because the keyboard is bluetooth, you’ll be reducing your battery life significantly and thus charging is more important. Moreover, the sleep button was difficult to access while in this case. The designers left little room for it. If you put the iPad in backwards (which you can do), the iPad will constantly go to sleep due to the pressure. Accommodations should have been made to make sure that all ports were available and you couldn’t put the iPad in its case backwards.

Serious typists and those making the transition from a laptop will really enjoy how easy and natural the iCapsule case and keyboard is to use. Be prepared for the constant removal each time you want to charge the iPad though

Pros: Ideal laptop replacement with responsive and spacious keyboard
Cons: Lack of support for charging while in the case or guides to prevent the iPad from being put in backwards

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Similar to other cases in its class, this provides multiple levels of protection. A hard plastic shell is protected with integrated silicone bumpers and a screen overlay. An optional extra wrap around bumper is included that provides another layer of protection as well as covers the headphone, mute/rotation lock, and the dock port.

The port protection had some minor problems. The mute/rotation lock would often fail to stay closed and I had a rough time getting any connectors to fit into the dock port. To get the sync cable from Apple to fit I had to use more force than I’d feel comfortable and it made a loud snap when put in place. I got used to this, but it still made me nervous I’d break a cable. The only part of the phone that remains unprotected are the speaker ports at the bottom and the rear facing camera. Not a big deal, but it’s not full and complete protection for your iPhone. Of all the extreme-style cases I tested, this was most compatible with dock style devices such as the iHome.

This Ballistic HC provides multi-layer protection without the bulk of some other cases and is an excellent value for someone wanting a higher level of protection without sacrificing the size of their iPhone

Pros: Svelte design, multi-layer protection
Cons: Port didn’t always stay closed, tight dock connector

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The ZAGGMate iPad Case and keyboard combo upon first glance is a brilliant idea: a combination bluetooth keyboard and iPad protective case. Unfortunately, the implementation of the design is flawed and for many this product simply won’t be a good fit.

The first serious flaw in this product is the way the iPad fits into the case. The fit is extremely tight with padding on the edges in order to make sure the iPad doesn’t separate from its keyboard case. This tight fit makes it difficult to remove. You need to use both hands as well as your fingernail. Be careful though, that brushed aluminum can have sharp edges and if you apply too much pressure, you find your iPad flying across the table. I was constantly afraid of injuring myself or the iPad.

Using the keyboard was quite difficult. In order to accommodate the physical size of the iPad, the keyboard was significantly smaller than the typical keyboard and was almost exactly the same size as the iPad virtual keyboard (which is logical if it’s the same size as the iPad). The ZAGGMate metal edges did not allow me to put my hands in a natural position: I had to type at an angle since the edges of the keyboard had a ridge that prevented you from laying your palms on a flat surface. The only way to type was to keep your palms raised in an awkward and painful position. I could only type a few minutes at a time before my wrists got tired or the pressure from the case edges cut into my wrists. Ouch.

The iPad was held in the case while typing with a small valley and a plastic stand. The stand didn’t always fit into the grove properly and my iPad would fall down. If you purchase this, make absolutely sure to put some pressure on the stand to confirm it’s aligned properly. Even while properly put in its stand, any movement of the surface would knock the iPad out of alignment. I was in constant fear of it dropping yet again out of the ZAGGMate.

The actual case did nothing to protect the sensitive back of the iPad which was yet another disappointment with this product. The padding around the sides is minimal and I actually scratched the front of my iPad while putting it in the case (ironically, I had a screen protector so it was fine).

The only positives I could find about this keyboard case combo was that it is extremely light and adds little weight to your iPad. It also allows for charging the iPad while in the case. Charging the internal battery of the keyboard is done by the less popular Micro USB cable.

Pros: Minimalist keyboard that integrates a case
Cons: Case very difficult to use, provides minimal protection, keyboard small and awkward to use

One out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The JuicePack comes with a USB charging cable in order to charge the battery, but requires the user to bring their own charge cable for their devices. This is a bonus in my book since I have a plethora of iPhone charge cables. The JuicePack will also provide a passthrough charge to any device connected to it.

For portability, I use the Scoche flip-sync cable which fits nicely on my keychain so I’ve always got an iPhone cable handy. The fact you can use the Powerstation for a variety of devices is a great feature. I was able to provide top-off charges to my iPhone, iPad, and my MiFi all from this device and still had some power left over

Unlike other external batteries, the Powerstation will provide a 2.1A charge for the iPad, though it won’t fully charge the iPad. To track how much charge is left it uses a series of six white lights. A status button is located on the top of the battery to quickly check how much is left. An additional switch allows you to turn off the battery’s output once you’ve got enough charge.

At $99 retail, this is a bit pricey, but will be of great value if you have multiple devices needing a charge. Lightweight, powerful and ergonomic is a win in my book

Pros: Lightweight with substantial capacity
Cons: A bit expensive

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The capacity is rated at 3000 mAh, which claims to add 11 hours of talk time for your iPhone. While I could not fully test that, I was able to take a almost dead iPhone 4 to a full charge.

The most surprising feature of the BluePack was its weight. Even though it is high capacity, the device only weights 3.2 ounces and is similar shape and size to the iPhone 4.

Another feature of the BluePack S8 is a built-in flashlight. At first I thought that was a silly feature, until I travelled with it (which would be a common use of an external battery pack), and needed a flashlight in the middle of the night. Then I saw the light, literally

The accessories the BluePack comes with are also quite handy. For one, it does a fast charge with a dual USB AC adapter. While you can use this for the S8, it works well for other devices. Additionally it has a USB to 30-pin iOS adapter, a USB Mini and a USB Micro cable. Since the charger provides a standard USB port, you can use either the included USB adapter or bring your own if you have a speciality one.

A great feature not always found in external batteries is the ability to charge your USB device while the S8 is charging. Plug the S8 into the wall and then your iPad or iPhone into the S8. Both devices get the necessary charge.

Overall, the BluePack S8 is a perfect balance of price, performance and features and I strongly recommend it as an external battery charger.

Pros: Great capacity, very portable, flashlight and adapters
Cons: Carrying case, cable length

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Kensington’s PowerGuard case with integrated external battery has great potential but fails to deliver in critical areas. However, it is one of the least expensive out there, so it might be a good option for those who are price conscious.

While priced similar to other integrated battery cases, the case weighs more ,yet has the least capacity of the cases I reviewed: 1200 mAh. Kensington reports for an iPhone 4 use this adds 4 hours of extra talk, 5 hours of video, or 22 hours of music. My experience is consistent with that claim.

One of the key flaws of the PowerGuard case will be encountered immediately: opening the darn thing. Unlike other cases that have easy hinges, the PowerGuard requires a coin or flat-head screwdriver to separate the bumper from the battery. Apply too much pressure and you’ll crack the plastic tabs like I did! If you are out in the field and need to change to another case–good luck.

Another flaw is lack of a capacity indicator. Most external battery chargers include LEDs or other indicators to know how much capacity is left in the battery. The PowerGuard has one light that indicates whether or not you have a charge.

One nice feature is the fact it has a slot in the back that you can use the supplied credit-card like plastic card to create a horizontal stand. I doubt if anyone will actually use the supplied card; I already carry enough of those in my wallet. Finally, my loyalty card for the grocery store has some use!

If price is the critical factor, the Kensington PowerGuard might be a good option for you if you don’t need to remove your iPhone from the case that often. Otherwise spending a bit more on another case will get you a better value with less frustration.

Pros: Inexpensive, kickstand slot
Cons: Difficult to separate the case, lack of capacity and capacity indicator

2 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The Kensington Travel Battery Pack and Charger provides a nice jolt of battery power while you are on the road and gives you a handy horizontal viewing stand as well. However at its retail of $70 and street price of around $40, other chargers provide a greater value.

I was generally disappointed in the design of this device. The Travel Battery Pack and Charger has an integrated USB connector, but beware, it’s quite short and I had trouble charging the pack with my USB hub and other USB charging devices. Kensington claims the integrated USB tip is a feature since it’s all you need to carry, but I found it an annoyance as its weight made it fall out of my Apple-supplied iPhone charger. The device was an awkward size of 1.50″ x 2.75″ x 6.00″ making it difficult to carry in my jeans pocket or in my laptop bag.

As a charger it delivered 1500 mAH of power which Kensington claims amounts to 23 hours music, up to 7 hours of video and up to 5 hours of talk time. The ergonomics of the device made it near impossible to hold the iPhone and keep the battery connected: this device was simply not designed with talking in mind.

Using the Travel Battery pack while on a flat surface was completely acceptable. The dock protector was an integrated horizontal viewing stand for the iPhone which made it easy to use on the plane to catch up on my TV viewing. I also liked the 6 blue LEDs indicating exactly how much of a charge was left.

While better values exist in external battery chargers, some users might find the “kickstand” cap a neat feature for their extended video viewing needs on the iPhone and others might value the integrated USB port that eliminates the need for a cable. I certainly didn’t and after testing, this devicehas been sitting on the shelf unused. It’s a design that just didn’t work for me.

Pros: A sizable 1500 mAH of power, integrated USB port and horizontal kickstand
Cons: Bulky, difficult to use the short USB connector, difficultly using the phone while charging.

2 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Sometimes your iPhone needs a bit of a power boost to make it through the day, just like it’s owner might need a cup of coffee or a shot of the latest energy drink. The Dexim P-Flip™ Foldable Power Dock is small, powerful external battery that will get you to the end of the day and then some, with a few extras to make it a great value.

The P-Flip is an external 2000 mAh battery charger and claims to provide up to 6 hours talk time, 10 hours video/gaming or 40 hours music. My real world tests were consistent with this claim. Folded up it’s about the size and thickness of a business card holder, 2”x3” and weights about 9 ounces.

It’s designed to be used as an iPhone 4 stand for Facetime conversations or simply a convenient way to use the phone while charging via its USB mini cable since it can provide power to the iPhone 4 while charging. I was able to use the P-Flip while holding the phone up to my ear, but it was a slight bit awkward. I kept this in my pocket and used it for an extra power boost while taking a break for lunch or dinner while on the road.

Included with the P-Flip™ is a clear bumper case to provide a tight fit in the stand for an iPhone 4, but the device works fine to charge a naked iPhone or while using some of the other popular iPhone cases. However, if you use a full wraparound case for your iPhone you’ll most likely need to remove it while using the P-Flip. No big deal given the number of naked iPhone 4s I see in the wild.

Dexim boasts that they also provide a free alarm clock iPhone app that’s designed to compliment the P-Flip. The idea is with the P-Flip you can use it as a replacement for your standard beside clock. The app works fine but doesn’t really take advantage of any special feature of the P-Flip. Nothing negative, but it’s more a marketing gimick than providing anything useful.

If you need a bit of a power boost throughout the day and run your iPhone 4 naked or with a minimal bumper, the P-Flip™ Foldable Power dock is a great option.

Pros: Powerful, lightweight and easy to use.
Cons: Need to use either their bumper or a minimal case

8 out of 10

The Chargeblock has an impressive 1500 mAh of power which provides up to 19 hours of audio and up to 5 hours of talk time, yet weights a little over an ounce. The ergonomics of the device are outstanding. The shape and size of the charger is similar to that of a cigarette lighter and fits easily into a pocket, purse, or laptop bag. Unlike a cigarette lighter, the top case that protectors the 30-pin connector is detachable and might get lost over time, which is a minor annoyance.

Unlike any other external battery charger for the iPhone I’ve ever tested, the Chrgeblock was 100% usable while talking on the phone. It unobtrusively added a curved bottom to the phone and didn’t fall out during conversations. More than once I forget that it was an add-on to my iPhone and not part of it. Incidentally it worked great with my iPad as well.

The charger uses a series of 3 red lights to indicate the charge status. Around the edges is six blue lights that “dance” around the device while charging. This was a cool sci-fi feature but did get somewhat annoying while charging in a small hotel room. I had dreams of Cylons and Colonial Vipers.

This charger has become a trusted companion that I carry with my practically everywhere! If you’re looking for a few ounces of iOS power to get you through your day, the Chargeblock XL is all you need.

Pros: Excellent capacity, balanced design and affordable
Cons: Wish they made an energy drink to help the iOS device user get through the day

FIve out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The Technocel PowerPak XT is a combination USB charger and external battery pack that I highly recommend as a great combination for anyone who travels and needs a little extra power boost now and then. Because it has a USB port and a AC power plug, you can charge your iPhone (or iPad in “slow-charge “mode) and charge the device’s own battery at the same time.

Ironically, the device comes with a variety of USB adapters to charge mobile phones but not those made by Apple–you’ll have to bring your own cable for that. The PowerPak has a 1600 mAh internal lithium ion battery which claims up to 4 1/2 hours of extra talk time. Actual usage was consistent with this claim as my iPhone charge went up by 50% after the Technocel was drained.

The device is about the size of a Macbook charger (sans cables) and can easily fit into most pockets. It has a matte finish and curved edges making it powerful and visually pleasing (and won’t grind into your leg while in your pocket). Carrying an iPhone charge cable with you could be annoying though – I used the Scosche Flipsync portable charger to avoid this problem.

Technocel claims the device can hold its charge for a year. While I couldn’t test that, I did leave it fully charged and unplugged and still got the 50% increase in my iPhone 4’s battery when I plugged it into the PowerPak XT.

Four red LEDs indicate the current capacity left in the battery or whether the device is charging, depending on the situation. Knowing how much of a charge is left in the external battery is always helpful

This is a smart design as it replaces the standard iPhone charger but also provides you a extended battery pack for just a bit more space and size. Because it’s a pass through USB charger, you can use it in a variety of combinations to charge other devices either with the included USB cables or those provided by the manufacturer.

Pros: Universal design provides charging and battery backup at the same time
Cons: Doesn’t come with iPhone charging cable

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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When Google suffered a major outage recently and temporarily lost customer files, I, like others, saw the signs of a storm coming. Cloud Pull helps you weather the storm and keep your cloud-based information backed up. It is a simple program that is simply indispensable.

Cloud Pull by Golden Hills Software is available directly from the developer and from the App Store and will backup both your Google Documents and your Google Calender for up to 10 different Google Accounts. It’s like Time Machine for Google. At any interval you select (every hour up to every day) Google Pull will download all your Google Documents and Google Calendar and keep them on your computer for a minimum of 30 days and indefinitely if you wish. Not only does it backup the current version but it also backs up any revisions. The folder structure is identical to that within your Google account, respecting which items appear in home and which are hidden.

Once downloaded to your Mac, you can then restore them directly from the off-line database Cloud Pull utilizes. This was great for when I was working offline on a plane. I had my entire Google Document collection available to me. Because Google Pull supports multiple accounts, you can have your browser open to one account while still reviewing documents in another account. It even supports QuickView so you can easily find the document you need. If you work offline with your documents, the program can’t put the document back into Google, however. You’ll have to upload the file to Google manually or copy and paste your changes. This isn’t the end of the world, but something to consider when you restore a document via Cloud Pull.

The UI is straightforward and includes a menu icon that uses green indicators to show your accounts are safely backed up and used a red indicator and exclamation point to warn you of problems. Usually it’s a temporary glitch, but I appreciate the early warning system and how similar it is to Apple’s Time Machine.

At $24.99, the program is a bit pricey, and of course you can manually download your Google Documents to back them up, but Cloud Pull makes it automatic so you are much less likely to lose data. While Cloud Pull doesn’t back up your Gmail, this can easily be done via a third party email client and contact synchronization is built into Address Book. Cloud Pull fills a gap for those of us wanting easy backups of the “office style” documents we create on the web. If you use Google Documents for serious work, then you owe it to yourself to get this program. $24.99 is a small price to pay for piece of mind for when the cloud leads you astray.

Pros: Backups up your Google Documents and Calenders automatically and protecting your information in the cloud.
Cons: Can’t restore files back to Google

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Hands-free bluetooth devices for the iPhone are a dime a dozen. People walking around town appearing to talk to themselves, until you see the blue blinking device coming out of their ear. They are either a human-cyborg hybrid or using a Bluetooth handsfree.

The BluBridge is different because it’s not only an excellent hands-free interface for your iPhone (or other Bluetooth enabled phone ), but also a rich and full stereo speaker system. When talking to others with the BluBridge, the call is in stereo (so your mother-in-law can nag at you in 360 degrees). Microphone quality is average and consistent with most other Bluetooth devices. Good to great, but people can hear you are on a hand-free.

Being able to listen to my iPhone without the hassles of wires opened up amazing new possibilities. We’ve all accidentally snagged our iPhone cord and seen the phone go flying (fortunately I have an Otterbox case). Even without the hazard, it’s just darn inconvenient to have wires while listening to music.

My immediate killer application for these headphones was the gym. They are extremely lightweight and water resistant with excellent earbud holders so they won’t fall out during heavy exercise. Instead of an awkward combination of a case for my iPhone and wires that would constantly get caught on equipment, I simply placed my iPhone in a safe position at the gym and worked out while getting my grove on.

Controls for answering calls as well as volume and previous/next track are all integrated into the sides of the headphones. Unfortunately there is no indicator as to the battery life but Miscus claims 9 hours of music and 8 hours of talk before a recharge. Recharging is somewhat tricky because it doesn’t use a USB mini or micro connector but it’s own unique USB charging cable. I expect today to not have to carry around different cords for charging, but that’s really the only fault I found with the device. Oh, one other complaint, given the round disks hanging out of your ears, you may look like Princess Lea or Lobot from Star Wars depending on your gender.

With a retail price tag of $50.00, you get quality headphones and hand-free all combined into one. I have completely fallen in love with these headphones and take them everywhere now. I’m singing the blues with a smile on my face

Pros: Wireless sound combined with quality hands-free
Cons: Non-standard charger, no battery indicator

This book looks at the anatomy of your slides and how to make them supplement what you are saying as the presenter rather than being the focus of your presentation. Of course professional designers take years to learn these skills, but after reading this book I have much more confidence I can make a quality presentation without having Al Gore’s design team at my disposal.

Unlike typical tech books, practical examples and checklists are missing from this book. General ideas and viewpoints are presented instead, in short digestable sections, just like the Bento box the author describes – a wide variety of concepts put together in a neat package that gives you energy and nourishment for the day.

After reading this book and looking at my previous presentations, I now understand why I and others fell asleep during them. I saw where I made my mistakes and what to change for the future. I’ll be doing much much less on individual slides and will make the concepts I present “pop” off the screen and have a clear focus.

For those people looking for tips and tricks of PowerPoint and Keynote, move along. This book is about practical advice and overall concepts of using “slideware” to engage your audience and help them understand what you are presenting.

Pros: Excellent overall concepts of how to make better presentations with a holistic focus rather than practical teachings of software functions
Cons: None!

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users' Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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In order to stand out on the virtual shelf, Presentation Zen uses Zen philosophy as a teaching method. Personally, I found this distracting and superfluous. Ironic, since one of the book’s key philosophies is to keep your presentation basic with the “less is more” concept. See, I guess I did learn something from the book.

The book was an enjoyable read with a view of an entirely different culture than the one I grew up in and, occasionally, I did learn a few key points about presentations. Because of the narrative nature of this book, extracting advice for giving presentations was difficult to discern. Typically in technical books, the authors teach key points with use of the main text and then put miscellaneous extras on the side. In this book, the technical points were on the side and philosophies, interviews, and cultural icons appeared to be the main focus. Overall, the book dealt with the nuances of presentation rather than a direct guide on how to prevent your audience (and you) from falling asleep when the lights go down and your presentation begins.

I do recommend the book as a starting point in your journey to create better presentations. Instead of giving specific tips and instruction, overall ideas and concepts are presented in this very quick read. In particular, presentations should be about the presenter and not about the slides on the screen. The slides should supplement and amplify what the speaker is saying, rather than the speaker being the spokesperson for the slides on the screen.

Pros: Nice window to Japanese culture and Zen philosophy with application to presentations
Cons: Lack of firm structure and clear instructions on presentations

3 out of 5

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Yojimbo is a database of any information you can throw at it and is most often compared to programs like Evernote or MacJournal. Yojimbo 3.0 is $38.99 and requires 10.5.7 and will run on both Intel and Power PC systems.

Of all the information-gathering apps, Yojimbo is the clear leader in Mac integration and featuring a Mac interface. BareBones, the developer of Yojimbo, has a long and rich history on the Mac platform and their expertise shines in this app. While information can be added via the standard typing or drag and drop method, Yojimbo also provides hot keys for entries as well as adds itself to the service menu. I was able to keep track of various bookmarks and URLs, right from the menu bar by right clicking. What’s the Japanese word for “sweet?”

For me, tracking bookmarks was the killer feature that brought me back to using Yojimbo. I was a previous Yojimbo user, but started using other programs which offered synchronization via the web. With the uncertainty of cloud-based bookmark services, I realized the importance of keeping key information directly on my computer. Synchronization is nice and I’ll continue to use it, but I want to keep a local copy of my data under my exclusive control. I’m concerned not only about free services going away, but I also grow increasingly concerned about keeping confidential data on the web. Yojimbo supports syncing between computers via Apple’s MobileMe service, but the data is not accessible directly via the me.com website.

Similar to other information managers, Yojimbo uses the collection, label and tag model to allow quick finding and classification of information within its database. An individual piece of information can be listed in multiple folders and be tagged and labelled in multiple ways. Yojimbo handles most data formats such as text, images, PDFs, sounds, and bookmarks. Alternatively, instead of storing a bookmark, Yojimbo can actually make a web archive of the file which is great for offline viewing on an airplane. Two data formats unique to the Yojimbo are serial numbers and passwords. These are securely stored in the program. I’ll continue to use my Mac’s keychain for my most secure passwords, but I did like storing serial numbers in this program within Yojimbo’s structure for quick search and retrieval.

Comparing Yojimbo to other products, Yojimbo’s differentiation as mentioned earlier is Mac integration and Mac UI elements. The program simply feels more Mac-like than other programs I’ve tried. Additionally, Yojimbo effectively uses the Mac’s function keys to bring up the Quick Input menu or to activate Yojimbo’s dock interface for dragging or direct searching. Other programs have this, they just don’t do it as well. New in version 3.0 is the ability to scan directly into the program, making it great for keeping recipes and hard copies of receipts and serial numbers.

I was disappointed with the iPad version of Yojimbo (sold separately via the iTunes App Store). The synchronization is only from the Mac to the iPad and must be manually initiated over a local wifi connection. Information cannot be added or modified on the iPad, only viewed. Given the separate pricing, I’d suggest avoiding the iPad app until two-way synchronization is added. Another disappointment was the lack of a built-in backup function. Even the help menu doesn’t explain how to back up Yojimbo. To find that out, you have to search Bare Bones’ FAQs. Considering the importance of information stored inside the program, failure to include an easy backup option is a glaring error.

For version 2.0 users, the only new features is the ability to scan directly into Yojimbo as well as support for the iPad app (again sold separately). Fortunately if you are a 2.0 user, BareBones will give you 3.0 for free! That’s a welcome change from most other companies’ policies.

For those users needing an information manager that takes full advantage of their Mac’s unique capabilities, and who don’t need access to that information on devices other than a Mac, Yojimbo is a great and obvious choice. The inability to add information via an iOS device is a severely limiting factor for many users, but I hope Bare Bones will change their approach to ubiquity of information access. Considering the large number of Evernote buyers on the App Store’s first day, the writing is on the wall.

Pros: Full integration with the Mac’s capabilities and functions, quick and easy data entry anywhere you are on your Mac
Cons: Lack of easy backups, inability to add information via an iOS device.

3 out of 5

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Additionally, this book doesn’t go in depth in any particular area but rather is a survey course in the subject matter. The title “up and running” is quite applicable because the highlights and key features in a particular area are discussed and the author clearly states how a particular function differs or is similar to Windows XP or Windows Vista.

This short book doesn’t include many screenshots, walk-throughs or troubleshooting thereby keeping the content as succinct as possible with such a large topic As a relatively new Windows 7 user and an experienced Windows Vista and XP user, this book was an ideal introduction of what’s new without wasting my time on things the typical Windows user already knows. Not only were the basics of Windows covered but also the functions of the Windows Live Essentials, Windows XP mode, Internet Explorer 8 and file sharing and security.

Newcomers to Windows 7 who already feel comfortable with the intermediate functions of previous versions of Windows are the ideal audience for this book. The books answers the question: “How do I do….” in Windows 7. Those new to computers or Windows won’t find enough explanation from this book and experienced Windows 7 users will miss any tips, tricks or troubleshooting.

Pros: Includes just what you need to, well, get up and running
Cons: Narrow audience of experienced Windows users who are new to Windows 7

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The program has two basic components. First is DrivePulse. Drive Pulse runs as a background app constantly checking all your hard drives for basic problems relating to drive and file integrity. This early warning system is optional and doesn’t work well when someone isn’t an administrator of their computer. For users who absolutely rely on their computer, DrivePulse will help detect small problems before they become big problems. In particular, the fact it can monitor your locally attached Time Machine backup really helps prevent data loss.

The main program includes a suite of utilities that goes way beyond the basic initialization, repair, secure erase and partitioning that Apple’s Disk Utility offers. Although most of these functions have to be run off another computer or mounted via a DVD, Drive Genius has it’s proprietary “DriveSlim” function that can help shrink a drive that is overrun with unnecessary language files (called “localizations”) as well as remove bloated code that won’t run on the selected system (primarily intel vs. non-intel systems). Many functions cannot be performed off a booted volume and you may have to download a bootable DVD for an extra fee if the shipped version of Drive Genius doesn’t support your computer. While the fee is only $5.00, it is nonetheless annoying.

Typical of most drive programs, Drive Genius includes functions to benchmark, clone, defrag and edit sectors. Most of Drive Genius’s function could be cobbled together with third party and Apple’s utilities, but with Drive Genius you get centralized support and a easy to follow pdf manual. All utilities are presented in an extremely stylized and Mac-like interface that is most reminiscent of Apple’s Cover Flow combined with multi-colored graphs. The program’s key functions are 64-bit, making it much more efficient for longer operations. According to ProSoft, Apple’s own Geniuses use Drive Genius as part of a ProCare yearly tuneup.

Pros: Extensive suite of utilities attractively presented and easy to use
Cons: Many functions require booting off a DVD or external drive, may have to pay extra fee for bootable DVD image.

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The authors go through some introductory subjects such as cloud syncing and security tips then move on to using Dropbox, iTunes and Documents-to-go to manage productivity for the standard office suite. Then they move on to using multiple applications to planning an entire party – including recipes, shopping list and invitations – via the iPad. Finally, they cover creating flash cards, planning vacations, as well as a variety of audio and video tips and tricks. Most helpful is the last series of chapters that explain how to move DVD content to your iPad.

If you’ve ever said “I have an iPad, now what?” this the book for you. Even though I’m an experienced iPad user, the book had some great ideas and sparked some new ones. Some of the ideas I already knew, but had to learn the hard way. I highly recommend this book for iPad users who wonder what else they can do with their magical and revolutionary devices.

Pros: Outstanding ideas about taking your iPad to the next level
Cons: Absolutely none

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Using iPhone does a great job of covering the key aspects of iPhone usage geared towards beginners to either the iPhone or the iPhone 4 operating system. The items applicable just to the iPhone 4 were clearly marked.

The flow of the book was to present a topic, let the reader practice the topic at hand, and when necessary enhance their learning with online supplements keeping the book relevant and timely.

Rather than being a how-to guide, this book’s focus is all about showing and doing. Intermediate iPhone users will find the book too basic to find it useful and lacking in killer tips and tricks, but beginners will really appreciate the step by step instructions for each aspect of the iPhone and the included apps by Apple.

Overall a great beginner book

Pros: Clear instructions supplemented by online content presented in a work-along manner
Cons: Very basic

4.5 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Overall, this book talked down to the reader more than any “dummy” or “idiot” series. The cartoons and graphics were extremely distracting and created a busy layout that made it near impossible to find the information you needed.

Moreover, many topics included were either irrelevant to intended audience of extremely basic iPad users or were advanced concepts that would confuse and frustrate new users. An example would be covering such items as rating iTunes store content which is very easy, to a more difficult concept such as usage of javascript.

Every page was a visual explosion of cutesy graphics such that half way through the book I wanted to watch SpongeBob just so I could feel like an adult again.

A child would love this book, an adult should take a pass and either simply purchase a comic book or buy a real guide. This book is an awkward spot between the two.

2 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The authors go through some introductory subjects such as cloud syncing and security tips then move on to using Dropbox, iTunes and Documents-to-go to manage productivity for the standard office suite. Then they move on to using multiple applications to planning an entire party – including recipes, shopping list and invitations – via the iPad. Finally, they cover creating flash cards, planning vacations, as well as a variety of audio and video tips and tricks. Most helpful is the last series of chapters that explain how to move DVD content to your iPad.

If you’ve ever said “I have an iPad, now what?” this the book for you. Even though I’m an experienced iPad user, the book had some great ideas and sparked some new ones. Some of the ideas I already knew, but had to learn the hard way. I highly recommend this book for iPad users who wonder what else they can do with their magical and revolutionary devices.

Pros: Outstanding ideas about taking your iPad to the next level
Cons: Absolutely none

The Matias TactilePro compares itself to the last great keyboard made by Apple, the Apple Extended II. The premium keyswitch used in the TactilePro is noisy because it’s a mechanical switch. Serious typists prefer a mechanical switch because it gives strong auditory and physical feedback when you press a key. Apple’s current keyboard requires an extremely light touch of the keys and feels “mushy.” Over the years my words per minute seriously declined because my hands would get tired after a long typing session and I’d often miss keys because I was trying to be too light and pulled up to soon on the keys. On the Tactile Pro, the keycaps are sculpted so that you can easily feel the difference and spaces between the keys. Your finger can clearly find the edges and return to the proper concave position in the middle of the key. The keys are also laser etched so the paint won’t wear off over time. I hate how all my keyboards certain letters have completely worn off. While I’m a touch typist I hate how ugly the keys look. This is a problem with the TactilePro.

Besides the mechanical keyswitch, the TactilePro has other serious enhancements professional Mac users will appreciate. The keyboard has a large footprint to ensure your hands don’t feel cramped and you have plenty of room to rest your hands comfortably. Personally, when I type on my Macbook keyboard my big hands constantly cramp because my fingers are simply too close together. The TactilePro allows my hands to spread out.

Similar to other Apple keyboards, the TactilePro provides volume control and eject keys that don’t require drivers and the control, option and command keys are clearly marked without the annoying Windows counterpart. Two USB ports on either side allows attachments of peripherals just like most other keyboards. The white color doesn’t match the current aluminum scheme of Mac’s design but it doesn’t contrast with it either. White is always in fashion.

This quality and comfort comes at a comparatively steep price of $150 retail. While Apple includes a keyboard free with most Macs or charges $50 to buy it separately, the Apple Extended II was $163 back in the early 1990s. A serious typist will find the TactilePro quite a bargain when they factor in the increased productivity and decreased fatigue this outstanding keyboard provides. I can’t believe I lived without this keyboard for so long.

Pros: Tactile feedback from a mechanical switch, laser etched keys
Cons: Cost, color choices

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Like earlier iterations, the Defender package contains and inner core of shock-resistant plastic, with a felt liner on the interior to protect the phone. A screen protector is integrated to the plastic and cannot be removed (no bubbles!) Wrapping around the exterior of the device is a thick rubberized shell (available in red, blue, or black), protecting all sides of the device from impact, and including retractable flaps over the dock connector, headphone jack (which houses the moisture sensor) and mute button ports. Only the speakers remain “open” to the elements.

All this protection nearly doubles the thickness and heft of the phone, and the thick rubber covers over the buttons and ports take some getting used to, and can be annoying if you have to frequently mute and unmute the phone for whatever reason. For someone who wants this level of protection, these are minor annoyances only. The Defender is a tank, and really protects the phone. I have no qualms taking my phone into humid environments or using it in a light rain shower with this case on (although keep in mind it is NOT waterproof!)

The screen protector is excellent, and bubble free, and I like the fact that it protects the screen without having to actually be stuck on. Dirty fingers are no problem here! Note that sometimes the inside of the screen protector may adhere slightly to the screen. Ironically the secret is to make sure there are some fingerprints on the screen before you put it in the case.

The case can take a ton pf physical abuse as well. The Defender is the case that you can see in videos of iPhones being tossed around against brick walls and cement floors. I wasn’t about to replicate this with my own personal iPhone, but I feel quite confident that it will simply shrug off drops onto hard floors or parking lots from ordinary heights. Based on my experience with the Defender 3G/3GS cas, it takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’ (or rockin’ or talkin’ as the case may be.)

The Defender comes with a belt clip which doubles as a stand for watching multimedia on the phone. I don’t like belt clips and would not use it, but for those who use these things, it is an effective and very sturdy clip which adds additional protection to the phone. The design is much different than the previous versions. The clip holds the phone horizontal instead of vertical in theory making it less susceptible to disengagement while siting down or bending over. You could literally roll around on concrete with the clip and and the phone would be fine. Without a doubt, the Defender is the most sturdy iPhone protective case on the market. It is the armored vehicle of iPhone cases and will defend your phone from the slings and arrows of daily life.

My only caveat with fully recommending the iPhone 4 Defender case to everyone is the fact that some accessories have trouble working with the phone while in its case. In particular, devices that rely on the dock connector or the headphone jack sometimes had problems. Removing the iPhone 4 from the Defender case takes time as you have to remove each layer of protection. This was an annoyance inherited from previous versions, but the occasional incompatibly is minor compared to having to pay for a iPhone glass replacement, or worse a new iPhone.

Until Otterbox came out with an iPhone 4 Defender case, I wasn’t one of those buying a phone on day one. I trust my iPhone to no other case but the Defender. My numerous near misses with my iPhone 3G and 3GS made me a believer and the iPhone 4 Defender case inherited all the qualities of its predecessor with a few extra bells and whistles.

Pros: Strong, reliable protection for every aspect of the iPhone 4
Cons: Does add bulk, some accessories have problems working with the case

5 out of 5 Dogcows

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Before I got the Matias Folding Keyboard, I used the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and the Apple iPad Dock with Keyboard. I immediately disliked the iPad Dock. It required me to remove my iPad from it’s protective case while docked and didn’t allow me to change the angle of the iPad nor move the keyboard to a more comfortable and ergonomically ideal position for me. Of course, it wasn’t as portable.

The Apple Bluetooth keyboard was much better for me. My main complaint about it was that I didn’t terribly like typing on it. The keyboard is physically small and the keys aren’t as responsive. Additionally, when I’d do number crunching, I missed the 10-key pad of a traditional keyboard. Travelling with the Apple Bluetooth was better than the Dock, but the metal keyboard got hot in the car and the cylinder at the top of the keyboard didn’t always fit in travel bags easily.

The Matias Folding Keyboard is an ideal compromise for the serious iPad typist. Unlike Apple’s offerings, this is a full-sized keyboard. There are no tiny key caps designed to look good, but not to do heavy typing. This keyboard folds to about the overall size and thickness of the Apple Blutooth keyboard, but unfolds into a full keyboard complete with number pad and a spacious typing area.

If you want to effectively type with an iPad, the Matias Folding Keyboard is an ideal combination of portability and function. You’ll have a full sized keyboard that’s compact and and a pleasure to type on.

Pros: Full sized keyboard with the ability to fold down to a portable size
Cons: Could use some feet to make it a bit more ergonomic.

5 out 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Unlike it’s beefier sibling, the Commuter’s rubber sleeve is is banded by a smooth plastic shell, which allows the
Commuter to easily slide in and out of one’s pocket. The case is actually two parts, a thin rubber piece which wraps over most of the
phone, providing shock protection, and then the aforementioned plastic piece, which slides over the back of the phone vertically as a band, providing further protection. Finally, there is a screen protector, which must be manually applied and is prone to bubbling. All together, these provide three layers of protection.

In daily use, the case provides fine protection against the usual hazards of iPhone ownership, such as pocket junk, random banging
against other objects, and sliding across tables, and it’s dual layer protection is superior to the high fashion cases. Although, I didn’t actually test intentionally dropping the phone, based on the construction of the case, I am pretty confident it would survive a short fall onto a hard surface unless you got unlucky enough to have something impact the front glass. I had enough close encounters with my iPhone 3GS and Commuter to trust Otterbox’s design.

What are the downsides of the Commuter? Well, just like the Model T, you can have the Commuter in any color you like, as long as it is
black. I was disappointed in the lack of any color options, but this may not be a big deal to many people and I’m sure Otterbox will develop more colors later on. Another negative was the slim flap which protects the dock connection; although a good idea in
theory, the flap often comes loose and ends up just being annoying. Finally, the areas where the edges of the rubber of the case touched
the phone (such as around the screen and the mute switch) seemed to become dust magnets, although to be fair, many rubber cases have the same issue.

Overall, the Commuter is a great balance of protection in a lightweight design that easily slides in and out of your pocket. For my spouse the protection the Commuter offers is “just right” – more protection than the “free cases” Apple offered, with a minimal amount of bulk. If the Otterbox iPhone 4 case was a car, the Commuter would be the luxury sedan while the Defender is a tank. Not everyone wants to drive a tank to work.

Pros: A perfect balance of form and function and superior 3-layer protection
Cons: Lack of color choices, average manual screen protection

Rating: 4 out of 5 Dogcows

Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right

The book covers the following topics in detail in a logic progression of how a new user would approach the topic, and features chapters on installation, importing and managing photos, working with the Faces and Places feature, slideshows, editing, publishing, and printing photos. As a bonus, the book also contains a great appendix on photography techniques to make anyone a better photographer.

Within each topic, details are covered one page at a time with copious screenshots (hence the Visual part of the title) making for a quick read without too much fluff and superfluous information (the Quickstart part of the title). Engst’s excellent writing style enabled even the more complex topics to be succinctly and deftly handled in just a few paragraphs. Personally I’ve always had problems getting pictures to print correctly on photo paper and after reading the short page on Printing Standard Prints and the Troubleshooting guide, I realised what I was doing wrong and no longer have a stack for recycling each time I want a simple 4×6.

The Troubleshooting chapter in particular is an outstanding guide on figuring out what to do when iPhoto acts quirky. It helps you with those functions that should work, but due to current bugs in iPhoto, don’t. You won’t find this detailed guide anywhere, so serious iPhoto users should buy it for this reason alone!.

Although I consider myself an intermediate iPhoto user, I still found quite a bit of value from this book. I clearly don’t use the full potential of iPhoto, and know more about how to use certain functions to my advantage rather than learning for the sake of learning. Both beginner and intermediate users will find just what they need in this book. Rarely can a book walk that line of not talking down to intermediate users and not talking over the heads of a beginning users. Here is proof you can do both.

Pros: Covers the most useful topics within iPhoto in a quick easy to understand format with great tips and tricks along they way.
Cons: Absolutely none

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Throughout history various philosophers and scientists have envisioned a goal, yet have never been able to achieve it. Early on we had the alchemists who tried to turn lead into gold; in the last century physicists tried to create cold fusion, and more recently have been trying to prove the existence of the Higgs boson. Likewise, mankind has tried for ages to create screen protectors that are bubble free. Science simply has been unable to achieve a bubble free applied screen protector….until now.

Moshi has turned the rules upside down. When I first heard about the iVisor AG Matte Protector for iPad, I denied it’s existence as well. I thought it would make it easier to be bubble free, but I simply couldn’t fathom that Moshi had achieved the impossible. For the record, I’m about the worst at applying screen protectors. I constantly have bubbles, bumps and dust on the screen and eventually just give up. Therefore I can think of nobody better to test the iVisor AG Matte Protector for iPad

If I hadn’t done it with my own two hands and seen it with my own two eyes I would not have believed it. On my first try with only a light wiping of the screen, my iVisor applied without a hitch. Zero bubbles, zero distortion, and zero glare. The screen looked so much better without the glare or fingerprints of the original iPad screen. The touch screen was just as responsive as before. My concern about the laws of physics, however, was immediately challenged.

The next morning the sun did come up, gravity was still working yet my iPad screen was still protected and was fingerprint and bubble free. After getting a bit of grease on the screen, I was able to remove the protector, clean it, and reapply the iVisor again without bubbles.

Overall, the iVisor is the best screen protector I’ve ever seen for any device. Not only does it protect the screen and reduce glare, the zero-bubble feature is simply amazing and isn’t science-fiction but science fact. After using the iVisor, I can’t imagine ever dealing with the hassles of the average screen protector. I can’t wait until they come out with this for the iPhone and the iPods!

I think I’m going to revisit that whole lead-gold thing again, because thanks to Moshi I believe anything is now possible.

Pros: Protects the screen, zero bubbles, zero glare
Cons: Makes you question established laws of science

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Generally, Otterbox cases come in the “Defender” line and the “Commuter” line. While the Defender is the ultimate in protection, the Commuter is an excellent balance of price, performance and bulk.

The Otterbox Commuter for the iPad is similar to Commuter products down the Otterbox product line. It combines a silicone wraparound with a hard plastic support and a plastic screen overlay: three different forms of protection for your iPad when most vendors provide only one.

The Commuter added a slight bit of bulk to the side and back of the iPad, but was within the normal dimensions of other silicone cases. I was easily able to fit it in most iPad sleeves. Given the large size of the iPad, a structural support in back is important to prevent screen cracking due to flexing.

The Commuter’s combination of matte makes the case much easier to grab and much less likely to slip out of your fingers. Holding my iPad in this case was comfortable and natural. Unlike other silicone cases that didn’t quite fit, the Otterbox always has a tight custom fit.

I’m a big fan of the Defender Case, but not everyone wants that level of protection (or price tag). For those looking for the perfect balance of price, style, and protection, the Otterbox Commuter for iPad delivers!

Pros: Light yet sturdy protection
Cons: None

Five out of Five Dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Weighing in at over 3 pounds and close to 900 pages, this book isn’t just the missing manual, but the definitive guide to everything Snow Leopard. If it isn’t in there, you probably don’t need to know it.

Seriously, though, this is a great guide and each time Pogue comes up with a new edition of his Mac OS Missing Manuals, they just keep getting better and better. Similar to previous editions, the author takes you through every aspect of the operating system and the included applications and even some of the iLife apps. Menu commands, their functions, and their relation to real world situations is a hallmark of the Missing Manual series. Screen shots are used where appropriate but not so many that you feel like you are reading a comic book. Of course, sprinkled throughout the book are tips, tricks, and “nostalgic corners” telling us how we got to this 6th generation of Mac OS X.

Unlike previous editions of the book, the author is including more of the intermediate users in his mix. Many more advanced topics aren’t just mentioned, but clearly explained. In particular, the book explains the difference between Applescript and Automator and how to write practical scripts and workflows the average user would benefit from. Other more advanced topics include Windows and Mac file sharing (especially the problems Windows 7 poses), virtual private networking, and top “useful” unix commands.

The book is designed to be a reference guide more than a how to or walkthrough book. The table of contents and index are indispensable tools for zeroing in on exactly the right command and program to get the job done. Every IT department and help desk should have a copy of this book.

Pros: Extensive information geared for both novices and intermediate users
Cons: Requires lifting with the legs, not the back

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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“Tank” is the first word I thought of when using my Otterbox Defender for the iPad.

While I’m a big fan of the Defender for the iPhone, I was deeply concerned about my iPad. The iPad costs nearly twice as much and just seems so exposed with that big screen in the front. Would my trusted guardian angels in Fort Collins let me down? Absolutely not.

Similar to most Otterbox Defender cases, the Defender for the iPad has two methods of protection. The core is made of hard plastic, which is particularly important on the iPad since you could flex it hard enough to crack the glass. Unfortunately, I’ve seen this in action. The second line of defense is a standard silicone overwrap. This silicone withstood sweat and oils without getting slick or discolored. The silicone protects most of the ports on the iPad such as the volume switch and the rotation lock. The dock connector is protected for daily use, but is accessible via a removable plate to allow the iPad to be plugged in for charging.

Unlike the Defender for the iPhone, the Defender for the iPad does not have an integrated plastic screen shield built into the case. I was very disappointed because they included a standard plastic overlay instead. I hate those. After about 10 attempts of putting on the plastic overlay and pushing out the bubbles, I gave up entirely. I’m sure the engineering of such a large screen protector was difficult, but I did like the complete protection the integrated overlay offered for the phone version and wish it were available for the iPad version as well..

The Defender for the iPad had some unique features that more than made up for the lack of integrated screen protector. Because the screen is so vulnerable on the iPad, Otterbox included a hard plastic protector shield that completely encloses the front of the iPad and snaps into place with the rest of the case. But there’s one more thing: this hard plastic also acts as an iPad stand in either horizontal or vertical mode. I’ve struggled with carrying a quality iPad stand while doing heavy typing and my prayers were answered by Otterbox’s engineering department.

Some may balk that the case has an $89 price tag or that it bulks up the iPad a bit, but like the solider in the field, sometimes you need that level of protection. It won’t protect against everything, but for day-to-day mortals like me who take it everywhere around town, this is a reliable insurance policy to protect my iPad against mishaps. I love my iPad almost as much as my Defender for my iPad! Great job!

Pros: Outstanding protection, innovative screen protector and stand
Cons: No integrated plastic screen shield

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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I’m about the worst person at taking care of my car. I’m like the computer owner who never backs up, doesn’t run an antivirus, and always unplugs the computer instead of doing a proper shutdown. I’m a mechanic’s nightmare. However with CarMD ($98.00), at least I’m not a total n00b anymore in taking care of my car.

CarMD takes advantage of the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port built into most cars made after 1996, which is usually located somewhere under the dash. The CarMD website tells you exactly where to find the port on your particular car. Once you find the port, all you have to do is plug it into your car and wait until the device beeps that it’s read your car’s info. Three simple lights give you a quick diagnostic of your car’s status: a green checkmark indicating all is ok, an yellow question mark indicating there might be a problem and a red x indicating something needs to be corrected.

The CarMD includes a USB cable and software to hook the device up to your computer. The software primarily creates a bridge between the device and the CarMD website. The first time you use the website, you have to put your car’s information and mileage into the system. One account can support up to three different cars. I easily added my car and my spouse’s. They suggest using the device when checking out a potential used car for purchase, but with only 3 cars on one account, the usefulness in this area is somewhat limited.

The first time I tried the device, my car just had a major milestone of service, so I knew everything checked out ok. Ironically, my CarMD had an yellow light indicating a problem. I panicked and spoke with their support people. Apparently when you get your car serviced, certain logs are cleared out so there wasn’t enough diagnostic info in some areas. Whew! A few weeks later the device had no problem giving my car a clean bill of health.

In addition to explaining your “check engine” light on your car, the CarMD website also informs you of any recalls or technical service bulletins. For an additional $19.95 you can unlocked an unlimited number of these TSBs, or you can simply research them yourself. For an car dummy like me, it’s best just to pay for the premium so you have all your car info in one place. In the future, CarMD promises the Premium Membership will include data about scheduled and preventative maintenance.

Overall, I really liked the device. I panic when any strange lights come on my car or whenever I have a problem. For less than the cost of a shop visit, I can arm myself with enough information to make an informed decision about my car care.

Pros: Quality information about your car and its current state
Cons: Premium membership is a bit costly for what it does

5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Fortunately this stand isn’t specific to the iPad, but can hold any similarly sized tablet device such as a Kindle or Nook. The stand is adjustable and can sit anywhere from 8.25 inches tall to 4.25 inches tall so you can comfortable read or display your device at any angle. It also supports the iPad in either a portrait or landscape mode. The rubber pads provide an excellent grip to prevent slipping and sliding while allowing full access to the device, including the charging port.

Unfortunately the stand isn’t really portable. Unlike other Lapworks products, this stand does not fold or deconstruct for easy carrying. I tried to carry it with me to the coffee shop, but the point of carrying the iPad was reducing bulky accessories, not adding to them. Honestly, for the price, I’d expect a bit more. I did receive quite a few compliments at the coffee shop, though.

Overall, I really liked the stand. While not in use, the stand made a highly stable base of my iPad while charging and showing pictures. Occasionally while watching TV on the iPad, the base travelled into the bedroom to provide a easy platform for viewing. Trying to watch a 60 minute show while holding an iPad does get tiring quickly. When the iPad is used for heavy word processing with the bluetooth keyboard, the experience was clearly superior to the iPad keyboard stand produced by Apple.

Pros: Stable, attractive base for your iPad
Cons: Pricey, not portable

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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For the beginning, readers will find just the information they need to get up and running. Although the book is a thick 350 or so pages, it’s a very quick read and includes a large number of pictures for reference purposes and learning about your iPad without actually having an iPad in front of you.

Instead of focusing on every feature, the book covers those features the average new user would be interested in. The books starts at the beginning: how to turn the iPad off and on. Instead of a list of every feature of every setting in alphabetical order, the presentation is based on how a user first approaches their iPad. First they turn it on, then customize it, then they get on the Internet and go from there. The last chapters focus on more advanced topics such as moving Microsoft Office docs to and from your iPad and suggested apps (although the app suggestions are extremely outdated). In the middle is a focus on practical aspects of iPad use – less about what an app does, and more how to integrate that app into your daily usage.

Overall, this book is great for a beginner to the iOS platform as well as the iPad user who bought one and quite can’t figure out the best way to use it.

Pros: Well-illustrated with clear examples on usage, focuses on the features of the iPad the average user would be interested in a logical order
Cons: Simplistic for iPad users already comfortable with the device

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Hard Candy seem to always be first to market lately with protective cases for Apple’s latest accessories. First impressions mean a lot and Hard Candy doesn’t disappoint. Their Bubble Sleeve is the case I rely on for my iPad when I want to make sure it’s gong to arrive at my destination intact.

This case adds quite a bit of bulk to your iPad. Other sleeves can be compared to a sports car: svelte, stylish and fragile. The Bubble Sleeve is the mini-van of iPad cases and focuses on protection rather than style or size. It’s the sleeve you’d carry your children to soccer practice in. Don’t we all think of our iPads as a member of the family? Color options include black, gold, and pink. Externally, the Bubble Sleeve looks like bubble wrap. Round half globes give it an industrial look and provide the first level of protection for your precious. Inside, your iPad is cushioned with a firewall of soft foam rectangles. The sides of the Bubble Sleeve are reinforced with felt struts to provide additional protection on the endpoints. The back of the iPad is cushioned in a flat layer of foam protection combined with bright red shock absorbing rubber bumpers to hold your iPad in place.

Overall, I found the Bubble Sleeve a bit bulky for everyday trips to the coffee shop. When traveling the protection was outstanding. I felt very comfortable that putting my Bubble Sleeve in my carry on or laptop bag would ensure my iPad arrived along with me intact and unscathed. Neoprene sleeves simply don’t provide enough shock absorption for the bumps and drops the average traveller encounters. I’ve also used the Bubble Sleeve when carrying my iPad on my bicycle and recommend the Bubble Sleeve to students who ride to class. Those bubbles will protect your iPad from getting crushed by those heavy textbooks in your backpack.

Pros: Excellent protection and quality
Cons: May be a bit bulky for everyday use

4.5 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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You just decided to upgrade your Macbook hard drive to take advantage of the incredible storage space out there now or maybe you are adventuresome and switched to a Solid State Drive. What should you do with the old hard drive?

If you are looking for an easy, economical repurposing of that old hard drive, the OWC Express 2.0 enclosure is an excellent choice at $19.99. Unfortunately I’ve been burned figuratively and literally by inferior quality enclosures with questionable origin–my Mac Pro has the scorch marks on the USB port to attest to this fact. Luckily this enclosure comes from a company which stands behind their product and truly knows the Mac.

Don’t expect many bells and whistles on this unit. The case is made of plastic despite it’s faux metal appearance. Nonetheless, the case is sturdy and has stood the test of time being a spare hard drive I keep in my laptop bag for large data transfers.

Installation of the old drive into the case was simple: a few screws and you are done. Clear instructions were included as well as USB cable. Included additionally in the kit is a faux leather carrying case to match the faux metal case. The carrying case had little value because I couldn’t easily carry the case and the USB cable. No big deal, but a little more attention to the design would have added significant value to the carrying case.

Whether you are looking for a portable drive or an easy Time Machine backup, the OWC Express 2.0 is an inexpensive and reliable way to reuse an old SATA drive while sticking with Other World Computing’s legendary quality.

Pros: Inexpensive and reliable
Cons: Faux leather carrying case isn’t very useful

Four out of five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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She first focuses on the content of your presentation: clarity, relevance, animation and plot. Good presentations start with good content. Fortunately she saves us all from those boring stand up meetings where the presenter simply reads the slides. Slides should serve as a way to move the speech and engage the audience. After creating good content, Robin then reminds us of the basic design principles she taught in her last Non-Designer’s book: contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity. Finally she takes the time to dispel a long litany of misconceptions about how to present. For example, she quickly dismisses the idea that handouts somehow distract your audience – instead it actually keeps them focused on your presentation instead of furiously taking notes. Each of her misconceptions is based on some basic fact of presentations which people took to an extreme.

This is simply a must have book! The checklists at the end are well worth the price of the book in and of themselves

Pros: All the tips and tricks to a great presentation written in an easy to follow and understand guide
Cons: It’s not mandatory reading for anyone who buys a projector. It really should be as countless hours of productivity would be gained in corporate America

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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My new favorite iPad protector is made by Belkin. The Belkin Pleat Sleeve ($39.99) for the iPad has styling that is simple and unobtrusive. I don’t want to draw attention to my iPad and have it stolen. If you want everyone to know you have an iPad, this case isn’t for you.

The sleeve currently comes in either black or “perfect plum” (purple). The Pleat Sleeve is made of lightweight neoprene and fits snugly around your iPad. All sides of the case are padded, but the glass front is particularly well protected, since the glass is the most common break point.

However, the best part of the Pleat Sleeve is the zipper hidden in the pleats which has room for your earphones, iPhone, charger and more. I love putting my iPad in this case and having everything I need for a productive afternoon at the coffeehouse. The material of the Sleeve is tightly woven, so I expect it to hold up for a long time.

Pros: Great protection especially for the front panel, zippered pocket, Doesn’t look like an iPad case
Cons: Doesn’t look like an iPad case

4 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Moshi describes itself as the “purveyor of electronics fashion” and its Codex case is both stunning and quite practical, combining runway fashion with solid laptop protection.

Unlike other Macbook protectors, this case is designed to be left on your computer at all times. Think of it as a sleeve you can use while the computer is still protected. Because it acts as a sleeve, it’s checkpoint friendly and can protect your Macbook on its sometimes perilous trip through airport security. I’m a big fan of cases like this because while some incidents can happen during transit, I often see the worst damage occur during the process of putting a laptop in a case or pulling it out. A hand slips or a zipper you thought was closed wasn’t. Ouch. Codex has Viscotex™ inserts and Terahedron™ inner lining to provide a advanced level of shock protection.

The Codex can be comfortably kept on at all times to protect your Mac. The case has a standard handle so it could be used exclusively as a carrying case though personally I use it in addition to my existing laptop bag. This gives my Macbook a tight and snug fit, but also provides more shock absorption. During everyday use, I don’t have to worry as much about spills around my Mac or a dirty coffee shop table. My Macbook has a stylish barrier between it and the environment it’s in. When I pull out the case, people are impressed. It elevates my already stylish Macbook to to super model status. The 24/7 protection is peace of mind to protect my investment.

After using the Codex for an extended period of time, there was no significant increase in the internal heat of my Macbook. The Codex does a great job of ventilation due to four bottom rubber risers that lift your Macbook slightly off the bottom of the case. These also prevent the Macbook from slipping while in the case. When the exterior of the case gets dirty, it cleans easily with a damp cloth. Moshi recommends leather cleaner for exterior cleaning.

The complete package includes a keyboard and screen protector that can double as a mousepad if you wish, as well as a matching Apple Remote case.

Like a super model, it’s not perfect. An annoying flaw in the design is that you cannot charge the Macbook while the case is closed. The case completely blocks all external connectors. You either need to remove the Codex while charging your Macbook or you need to leave your Macbook open. This is disappointing and could have been avoided, but super models tend to make sacrifices for fashion, so I’ll overlook this limitation due to the Codex’s overall stunning design and protection capabilities.

If you are going to protect your Mac and don’t want to comprise either fashion or function the Codex is for you. The models vary in size based on your laptop: 13″, 15″ and 17″ and the color choices vary based on size but include metallic silver , metallic black, opalescent pink, and burgundy red. Pricing starts at $65.

Pros: Sytlish sophistication with maximum proteciton
Cons: Pricey, blocks the charger port when closed

4 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Quickbooks is the industry standard for financial management. Even if you don’t use Quickbooks, your accountant probably does and you’ll find the widest range of support and services when you use Quickbooks to run your business. It is, as they say, the 800-pound gorilla you have to deal with in the financial world. When people are considering making the switch from PC to Mac, being able to transfer their Quickbooks information is a key concern. Every year, Intuit promises more compatibility with the Windows version of Quickbooks and promises to bring more of the Windows features to the Mac platform.

Unfortunately, Intuit woefully under-delivers on their promise. The last time I considered using Quickbooks on the Mac was 2006. Back then it wasn’t compatible with my bank or my credit card company, yet the Windows counterpart was. Like many other Mac users, I run Quickbooks on my Mac via a Windows virtual machine. Not having to boot up Windows every time I want to enter invoices would be a welcome change. All said and done, I’m still going to have to keep Windows on my Mac…sigh.

According to Intuit, the key “new” feature of 2010 compared to previous versions is the ability to accept credit cards directly from within Quickbooks using Intuit’s merchant services solution. If you already do this on the PC, then the switch will be easy. Otherwise, you need to setup an account with Intuit, which may have higher rates then you get from your bank. Another new feature is a setup guide and wizard, but most people would probably use an accountant or bookkeeper for such things, so this feature is of limited value.

The good news for Quickbooks 2010 is that it accurately talks with my credit card company to download information. Additionally, while it did import the raw data correctly from my PC Quickbooks 2008, it did not important my custom reports nor my custom invoices that I paid my accountant to create. In spite of the claimed “improved” compatibility with the Windows counterpart Quickbooks for the Mac failed to deliver. To be fair, Intuit claims that I should be running Quickbooks 2010 for Windows and I would have seen more reports transfer over. On a practical level, if you already paid for Quickbooks 2010 for the PC, you are much less likely to switch to a Mac.

Additionally, contact syncing with the address book simply didn’t work at all. Tech support was most unhelpful, but did seem to indicate that if you already have contacts in your address book, Quickbooks isn’t smart enough to figure out to merge the contact info. This is important because most people using Quickbooks likely already have their customers as contacts in their Mac address book.

Typical of Quickbooks is the inclusion of a variety of glitches, crashes and anomalies Mac users have come to expect from an Intuit product. I waited to do the review hoping that each new update to the program would fix some of these problems. With each update, some bugs were fixed while others were introduced. I’ve always been wary of Quickbooks updates since the famous debacle in December of 2007 where an update destroyed the desktop files of unsuspecting Mac users.

if you are starting as a new business, the wizards will help get you off to a good start. New users won’t have to worry about importing from Windows and won’t encounter the transfer problems with older versions Existing Mac or Windows Quickbooks users will find little value in upgrading to this newer version and should save their money for something else.

Pros: The most Mac compatible version of Quickbooks to date
Cons: Not reliable and inconsistent compatibility and feature parity with PC version.

2 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Notebook sleeves seem to be one of the hottest accessories today and with good reason. Protecting your laptop investment is a good idea.

Altego’s clear laptop sleeve is probably one of the best sleeves I’ve seen for protection out there today, and one of the ugliest. Literally, the Altego sleeve wraps your Macbook in bubble wrap. No, you can’t pop this bubble wrap, but nonetheless this sleeve is made up of air chambers that cushion the contents and protect it from mishap. While Altego dresses up this bubble wrap with fashionable colored accents, it still looks like bubble wrap!

Like many of the laptop sleeves today, under current TSA rules, you are allowed to travel with the laptop inside one of these sleeves and are not required to remove your laptop from its protection when passing through security. Given how rough travel is today, I’ll probably use this during travel to get that extra ounce of protection.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While I think the exterior is ugly, the protection this sleeve provides is beautiful.

PROS: World class protection with a cushion of air
CONS: Looks like bubble wrap, demands to be popped

Four out of Five Dog Cows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave™ or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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I like this Otterbox a lot. The silicone sleeve (which comes in a choice of seven colors) hugs the phone closely without slippage, and felt very solid and tight in my hand, even when my hands were sweaty. I had no problem pressing the lock and volume buttons, or moving the headphone flap aside to plug in headphones. However, the dock flap is a little tricky to move aside in order to plug in the USB charger cable, as you really have to push it aside to get the cable inserted.

The solid plastic snap on over the back looks to provide protection in case the phone is dropped on its back. I obviously didn’t test this out, but the plastic seems more for style then real protection – the silicone case is the real armor in the Otterbox Commuter, and will absorb much of the shock if you drop the phone from a normal height. As for the screen protector, well, it’s a standard peel-on film that will probably save the screen from minor scratches but won’t save the glass from a crack should anything impact the front of the phone.

Overall, I feel the Commuter is a good compromise between the tank-like bulk of the Otterbox Defender line and the naked feeling of leaving the phone totally unprotected against the slings and arrows of the average purse or pocket. It protects well without adding too much excess bulk, and that makes it a winner for me.

Pluses: Good basic protection without excess bulk, looks pretty good
Minuses: Hard plastic snap-on seems gratuitous, tricky to move dock flap aside to plug in USB cable

Overall: 4 out of 5 dog cows.

This book relies heavily on brilliant full color examples of the concepts being taught. The reader is easily able to compare what is in the book to what is on their Mac’s screen. “Teacher, did I do it right?” is easily answered by looking inside this book. Additionally, a review quiz is included at the end of each chapter to make sure you understand the current lesson before moving on.

While instructor-lead programs allow the student to ask questions and interact, the Apple Training Series is about the closest thing you can come to an instructor-lead program without having to leave your home, office, or coffee shop. I always love how the Apple Training Series includes a suggested time frame it takes to do the particular chapter so you can plan your schedule accordingly.

Pros: Excellent real world examples and clear instructions and output specifications
Cons: Absolutely none

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Microsoft Office 2008 is overloaded with tons of useless features which make the program slow, complex, and bloated. “Microsoft Office 2008 Quick Start Guide” matches Office’s complexity. This 500-plus page tome is a comprehensive guide to many of Microsoft Office 2008′s major features.

Unfortunately, this is not a typical “Visual Quickstart Guide.” One would not get a Quickstart, because probably it’s hard to quickly start the digital equivalent of an oil tanker. Beginners to Microsoft Office will find this guide completely overwhelming and would be overwhelmed by all that Microsoft Office 2008 can do.

The author breaks up Office into its core components: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Entourage, and the integration of those applications. Unfortunately he covers almost all the major features which is completely unnecessary for a Quickstart guide. For example, how often do people use the Notebook view in Word or the Newsgroups function in Entourage? Similar to Office itself, adding in all these extras makes it harder for the user, or in this case reader, to find the basic functions of the program they need. This book could have easily been half the size and the reader would have understood most of what they need to know about Office.

The text was easy to understand for those functions the author was describing but there was a distinct lack of the common Visual Quickstart Guide screenshots and visual enhancements. The book was extremely text heavy and dense because of this. For a intermediate user trying to look up how to create a stock chart or brushing up on mail merging, this is a good manual. Beginning users will be overwhelmed with the comprehensiveness of it all.

Pros: Covers a vast majority of functions in the Microsoft Office 2008 Suite.
Cons: A vast majority of functions in the Microsoft Office 2008 Suite are unnecessary and overwhelming, just like this book

3 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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Typically, Peachpit’s Visual Quickstart Guide jumps you into a program giving you the “quickstart” to get working and obtain a basic understanding of the program. This book didn’t follow that theme as closely as others in the series, but it’s still an excellent guide to iMovie 09. If you buy only one book on iMovie, I firmly believe this should be the one. It’s short, straightforward and highly accessible to someone who has never used a video camera before.

The book starts off with the essentials of movie making on your Mac, discussing important topics such as AV equipment, movie planning, lighting and composition. These preliminary chapters are an absolute gem. While I’ve worked with iMovie before, I never really understood the essentials of lighting, focus, and composition. A great iMovie starts out with the fundamentals and the first five chapters of the book are devoted to just this.

Next, the book gives you a “Make a Movie in a Hurry” overview of iMovie so you can quickly complete a task and have some initial success. Then, the author goes in detail about iMovie in a logical progression as to how the typical project would go: importing, editing, and exporting. Throughout the chapters the author includes tips and tricks not just about the usage of iMovie, but why a user should care about certain functions. Knowing all the features of iMovie doesn’t really help unless you know how to use them in your projects to enhance your work. After reading this book, I understood much more of the power of iMovie and how to use the features of iMovie to make better movies.

Ironically, what’s missing from the book is a guide to iDVD. One small chapter is devoted to iDVD and then the author directs you to his website for another 60 or so pages of iDVD info: http://ptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/images/9780321601322/supplements/iDVD_Addendum.pdf That’s my major con of the book: the title is extremely misleading. This is NOT a book about iDVD, it’s strictly about iMovie. I can’t imagine why the book was titled and distributed the way it was.

Pros: Easy to understand, accessible
Cons: No iDVD printed materials in book

Four out of Five dogcows

Four out of Five DogCows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here.
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The book is extremely iPhoto heavy and Heid covers the ins and outs of iPhoto over around 150 pages, more than any other aspect of the suite. iMovie and Garage Band each get about 80 pages of coverage. Least featured is iWeb and iDVD, each given only about 30 pages. For most casual users’ interest that’s about right. Each two-page spread of the book covers a different aspect of the program and Heid includes detailed screen shots to enable the reader to study when they are not at the computer. The table of contents allows you to hone in on the exact feature or project you are doing. In particular, I like how the book compared and contrasted the different overlapping features of iLife. For example, what is the best way to do an iPhoto slide show? iPhoto, iDVD, or iMovie–it gets confusing. Additionally, Heid goes beyond the functions of the apps and considers real-world problems and questions an iLife user might have, such as scanning old photos into iPhoto, or the best way to record sound in Garage Band.

The target audience of this book should be the intermediate user of the Mac who has a basic understanding of what each iLife program does and why they might use it. This is for the reader who wants to dive deep into a project and doesn’t want the unnecessary fluff of a beginner’s manual, nor does the reader want to be distracted by the features most people never use. This book covers the classic 20% that you’ll use 80% of the time.

Pros: Covers the key features of the iLife ’09 suite while avoiding the time wasting feature inventory
Cons: Assumes some basic knowledge of the suite, skimpy coverage of iWeb and iDVD

Five out of Five dogcows

This book is an excellent resource for someone wanting a hands-on learning tutorial about every aspect of the iLife Suite:  iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD.  This is not a “how-to” reference manual — you won’t find feature listings or troubleshooting tips.  Its exclusive goal is training sessions with pre-developed material to be done a classroom or self-teaching format.  For someone who has never been exposed to these programs, it’s a great resource with which to start from scratch. 

Each module has lesson files that are installed on your computer and gives you a time estimate of how long the project will take.  According to the book’s estimates, it will take you about 13 hours to complete; however for me the modules went much quicker.  Fortunately, since the materials are already created for you on the included DVD, you don’t have to actually shoot video or load pictures to understand the lessons.  You’ll be able to follow exactly line-by-line along with the book and compare actual results.  The book is well laid out with real screen shots for every outcome, so don’t be intimidated by its size.  At the end of each module is a quiz to test your knowledge of the subject.  Obviously this makes an excellent text book for instructor or group study.

Personally, I was new to iLife ’09 but have used previous versions.  The book skipped over computing basics and focused primarily on new iLife features such as Face Recognition in iPhoto. The modules were extremely well paced and I had an excellent grasp of the subject material at the end. My only major complaint is that between iLife programs, the authors did not stay consistent and the lessons at times were confusing, as not all the authors had the same skill level or approach to teaching.  Nonetheless, the book was outstanding as is typical of the Apple Training Series.

Pros:  Training modules for the key features of the iLife Series along with pre-developed material
Cons:  Inconsistent style of lessons between modules.

Five out of Five Dog Cows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

With well over 56,000 apps of this writing, the iTunes app store can be intimidating.  There are just so many apps out there one doesn’t really know where to begin.  Staring with the top 10 or top 25 is a great place to look, but too often the gems are buried in the middle and nearly impossible to find in that stack of 56,000 apps.  Even if you just stick to the top apps, you don’t get manuals or easy instructions with them, making purchasing apps that much more of a frustrating experience. 

“Best iPhone Apps” fixes both problems.  Author Clark has a good mix of popular apps such as Yelp and Facebook, but also includes some off-the-wall ones such as What The Font which helps you identify a particular font using your camera.  Each app receives one dedicated page of explanation and a screen shot – which is a heck of a lot more than iTunes or many developers provide.  Additionally, there have been some more expensive popular apps I’ve been afraid to purchase because there are no demos in the App store (a fatal flaw in my opinion).  An example of this is Jaadu VNC.  This $24.99 app sounds great, but does it work?  I bought it and couldn’t quite figure it out until I read this book.

Unfortunately, while the book is iPhone 3.0 aware, it was published before iPhone 3.0 software and the iPhone 3GS came out, so some of the information is slightly dated.  Nonetheless, the apps that are great now will continue to be great.  This book is perfect for a non-technical new iPhone or iPod Touch user who isn’t quite sure where to begin.  A vast majority of the apps listed in the book are free or low-cost so there is little risk in trying and exploring these apps.

Overall this book is perfect for a new iPhone user or a more experienced user who wants to take the time to learn about some new apps

Pros:  Covers a wide variety of apps in depth
Cons:  Quickly will become outdated

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Whether you are logging on to Facebook for the first time, or are a pro, “Facebook Me!” will teach you some valuable tips and tricks on how to maximize your usage. The author takes the novice user through ever aspect of Facebook including a heavy emphasis on privacy and security. In particular, Awl’s book will survive most Facebook interface changes because he focuses on the core values of why you are on Facebook and what you hope to accomplish. He handles such tricky issues as friending your boss and coworkers as well as to how to deal with friends who send you invites to every application known to man.

Awl gives great advice to new users on how to follow proper social mores on Facebook as well as how to prevent getting viruses on it. Experienced users will benefit from Awl’s suggestions on topics such as how often and what to say in status updates and most important, how to check Facebook from work. Business owners in particular will benefit from this book’s excellent explanation of pages, groups, and advertising on Facebook.

The book is extremely well organized so more experienced users can focus on the subject that interest them the most. A detailed table of contents helps readers hone in on their particular topics of interest and excellent use of color screen shots helps everyone visualize his descriptions. Although Facebook will surely redesign it’s interface and the pictures will then look different, the concepts of keeping up with friends and acquaintances are at the core of Facebook. Awl’s book is about how to use Facebook effectively, not merely a “how to” guide.

Pros: Well organized, detailed, perfect for novices and experienced users
Cons: Still doesn’t tell me whether I should friend my Mom or not

Five out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Primarly, Toperoek takes you through key functions of the UI such as the Finder, Dock, System Preferences, and the Leopard apps that had signficant changes. He briefly describes each function in Leopard and all the options related to it. This book helps you answer the question of “How do I” and “What does this function do?” Short, sweet and to the point. It’s includes the 20% of the Leopard functions you’ll use 80% of the time If you ever wanted to know the keyboard shortcut to any command in Leopard, it’s in this book. The index is almost as powerful as Apple’s Spotlight function and quickly allows you to hone on the questions you need answered.

A short review for a short 200 page half-sized book, but like the magna carta it is short yet very valuable!

Pros: Excellent overview of key Leopard functions geared towards intermediate and advanced users
Cons: No tutorials or pictures, but the technical Illuminati don’t need such things.

5 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

As many iPhone users know, the earbuds Apple includes with the iPhone are functional, but they don’t exactly have the greatest sound fidelity. Hundreds of different earphones are on the market, some costing more than the iPhone itself. Even these high end units do not have the ability to act as a hands free mic for the iPhone. Few things are more annoying then having to unplug your headphones when receiving an incoming call while jamming away on your iPhone. The Radius Atomic Bass Black Aluminum Earphones for iPhone aren’t just a great headphones, but a great handsfree mic as well.

Personally, I tend to use bluetooth and don’t listen to music that much on my iPhone. However, after discovering Pandora and Skype for the iPhone, I’m using these headphones a whole lot more. During use, I was simply blown away by the music quality. Not an atomic explosion blown away, but something that would definitely shift the balance of power. I’m not an audiophile, but I have headphones that cost three times this amount and the sound just doesn’t seem as rich. I tend to listen to more dance style music and these headphones picked up the bass much better than other headphones, so it’s well deserving of its name. The Radius Atomic Bass fits well into my ear and doesn’t slip out like the standard earbuds. The plastic covers come in three different sizes to help insure a custom fit and the earbuds are angled to fit deeper in the ear canal. Obviously these aren’t the type of headphones or handsfree you should use in the car as they block out external noise. These are not noise-cancelling headphones, so I’ll still use my other headphones in a plane or other noisy environment.

As a handsfree mic, callers on the other end who hear me talking though my Radius Atomic say the calls are much clearer than my bluetooth and can’t tell I’m using a hands free at all. I’m using the Radius Atomic with my laptop and then switch them into my iPhone when I get a call. The mic is located a few inches down from the earbud and, similar to the standard Apple issue earbuds, acts as a remote to pick up and end calls. The mic was extremely sensitive and allowed me to carry on a normal conversation with a caller while I was at a coffee house, though sometimes in noisy environments it was hard for others to hear me. In fact, the Radius Atomic Bass worked extremely well with Skype on my iPhone while my bluetooth handsfree did not.

Aesthetically, the Radius Atomic looks very industrial. They come in black, red, pink and white so you not only can accessorize, but avoid picking up your spouse’s headphones when leaving in the morning. Whatever color you choose, the earbuds will have silver accents at both end of the earbuds, matching the metal/plastic look of the current Apple product line. All the units have a white cord except for the black, which is black in both headphone and cord. Personally, I dig the black instead of the white so people don’t always know I have an Apple-branded MP3 player. The cord length is a few inches longer than the Apple standard earbuds, though the length of the individual cords after the yoke was the same as the standard units.

Overall, I highly recommend these headphones as a wired hands-free mic and a economical headphone for listeners craving deep bass in their grooves. The sound and voice reproduction is significantly better than the included headphone and rivals products that cost significantly more.

Pros: Excellent bass reproduction and voice quality, profoundly economical and fashionable as well
Cons: No noise cancelling or echo cancelling

Five out of Five Dogcows

Article was republished by the Lawrence Apple User’s Group 2.0 here as well as other groups listed on the right

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Reviewed for the Lawrence Apple Users Group by Mike Silverman

The iPhone is an amazing portable computer. It features capabilities that twenty years ago would have been something out of the pages of science fiction. Instant communications access with anyone in the world, the ability to seamlessly access the corpus of human knowledge that is the Internet, and of course, an ability to be entertained by music, video and games limited only by your imagination.

Almost.

The iPhone, as shipped by Apple, is a wonderful device for 95% of its users. But Apple locks iPhone users into a gilded cage. The cage is sumptuously decorated, but it is still a jail cell. You are limited to using your iPhone in ways Apple approves of. “The man” (or Steve Jobs) decides what applications you can run and what capabilities your phone has. Like a bridled horse, the iPhone is docile, but unleashed, it could do so much more!

To really set the iPhone free, you need to “hack” it. Once you do this, your phone becomes the powerful computer it is meant to be, and you can run much more diverse software, giving your phone new abilities, like being able to record videos, customize the user interface, emulate popular video game consoles, and send and receive multimedia messages. You can even give your phone the ability to act as a wi-fi “access point” to the internet for your laptop, and unlock the phone to use on other carriers.

“iPhone Hacks” by David Jurick and Adam and Damien Stolarz is your guide into this brave new world. The authors act as friendly guide into the world of iPhone customization. This book is not meant for beginners; the authors assume both some technical computer knowledge and a curious nature. Some of the software-based “hacks” can be done by any experienced user, but other hacks require programming and even hardware “breadboard” skills, such as handiness with a soldering iron.

The authors first explains some of the basics of the iPhone operating system, including its history, the phone’s boot process, and how the file system is put together, which is an excellent overview, before they head into the basics of “jailbreaking,” which is the process where you use some simple software tools to open your phone’s operating system up to customization.

I should note that many of the hacks in this book require the jailbreaking process, which, contrary to its name, is neither illegal nor very difficult. There are several hacks which do not require jailbreaking, however, these are more in the vein of “power user tips” rather then true hacks. It is worth noting that Apple will not provide warranty services to jailbroken phones – luckily, if anything goes wrong, it is very easy to “restore” your phone to pristine condition before seeking warranty service.

The actual hacks are divided into various sections by theme. The first two thirds of the book is all software-focused, and as such accessible to those without programming or hardware hacking skills. For example, there are sections on using the phone as a multimedia devices, sections on enhancing the camera and video recording functions, as well as sections on topics such as SMS messaging, gaming, and user interface customization. Any of these sections can be accessed in an ad-hoc manner; there is no need to go in order after the initial chapter on the jailbreak process itself. Simple pick the topic you are interested in and dive in. It is easy to browse the book to get an idea of what the iPhone can do, and all of the chapters are very clearly explained, with excellent use of screenshots and supplementary information to guide you in the process.

The final third of the book covers both application programming, and actual hardware hacking, including how to disassemble and reassemble your phone. Many of the hacks in this section are very entertaining to read about (and fairly useless in a practical sense), especially since it would take someone way braver then me to actually crack open my phone’s case! The programming section is a useful introduction to both the official Apple-provided way to program for the iPhone as well as the unofficial ways to get access to private APIs and methods which can be used to program applications that could never make it into the App Store.

More controversially, “iPhone Hacks” also describes the process to “unlock” your iPhone (this is different then “jailbreaking”) so you can use it on a carrier other then AT&T. This information is presented fairly and accurately, with both the risks and rewards clearly outlined for those users who may need to use an iPhone on another carrier. The book also describes how to activate tethering, where you can use your iPhone as an internet access point for your laptop. This may violate your contract with your carrier, but the book doesn’t moralize here; it simply describes the “hack” and leaves the decision as to how to use the information up to you, the reader, which is as it should be.

Overall, this is an amazing book, clearly and thoroughly describing the dozens of ways you can truly make your iPhone your own. It manages to cover challenging information fairly and accurately in a manner that will appeal to any adventurous, curious and technically-minded reader. Even if you never plan to do anything other then the tamest “hacks” to your iPhone, browsing this book will teach you a lot about your phone as a computer, and leave you stimulated and fascinated.

Rating: 5 out of 5 DogCows
Plusses: A through and interesting book on how to expand the iPhone’s universe
Minuses: None

As an avid reader of Entrepreneur magazine, I had very high hopes for this book.  More and more businesses are switching from Mac to PC and need a guide focused on how to get typical business functions done on the Mac.  The book completely skips the iLife suite and takes the reader from the decision to buy a Mac over to the key tools a business owner needs in order to run a business on their Mac.  Unfortunately, the book is incomplete, inconsistent and needs to check its facts.

The first few chapters of the book helps the reader decide which Mac to buy and how to set it up, then takes the reader through the built-in contact management functions and then onto the Microsoft Office suite and,finally, backups.  This is not a how-to guide but rather an overview of the considerations to make when switching to the Mac and whether your business will be able to make that switch.  By the time you have actually made the switch, the book will be of little value to you.  Business owners on the fence about switching to the Mac will find comfort that it can be done and there are tools out there to help them do the job.

The author focuses too much on his personal preferences and has a recommended suite of hardware and software to buy, giving the reader few options if they wish to deviate from the path.  For example, he devotes 60 pages to Microsoft Office but barely mentions iWork or Open Office which are both extremely viable alternatives for the average company switching to the Mac.  Similarly, the penultimate chapter of the book mentions that every business should own the full $299 version of Adobe Acrobat when much of its functionality is already built into Leopard. The other programs he mentions are extremely expensive and often unnecessary for even advanced business owners.  Why does he recommend Photoshop CS3 to a business user?  This chapter could convince a business that it is too expensive to switch to the Mac.

The final chapter of the book is all about backups and Rich does an excellent job of explaining the various backup options the average business owner should consider.  He goes through not only the Apple options, but third party hardware and software as well.   Alongside with backups, Rich then covers (in the Appendix) something every Mac user should have: a full record keeping worksheet of all the important information about your Mac and the hardware and software that goes along with it. 

Unfortunately, Rich is just plain wrong on some of his facts.  Each chapter had a few minor facts wrong that would not impact the average business owner, but still reduces Rich’s credibility as an expert and an author.  The explanation of how to install software assumes that the software will begin installing as soon as you put in the CD, when in reality most programs that come on optical media require you to double click something to begin the install process.  Rich also explains grey-market hacked Apple clones, which should never be used in a business.  Rich even admits they haven’t been tested nor are they probably legal, so I’m not sure why a business book would mention them.    Entrepreneur Press is not used to editing technical books and it shows. 

Pros:  Cuts right to the chase regarding those aspects of the Mac most interesting to business owners
Cons:  Extremely biased and doesn’t empower the reader to make their own choices

2 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

I fondly remember the Seinfeld episode in which Kramer was developing a coffee table book…about coffee tables, so when I read about an iPhone book on the iPhone, I simply had to review it. Not that there is anything wrong with that, no of course not!

As an application, “iPhone the Missing Manual” was difficult to navigate at first. Instead of scrolling up and down to move from page to page, you swipe from left to right in order to move to the next page, much like turning a page of a book. Once I understood this design element, navigating was fine. Ideally, the program should have had a initial welcome screen explaining how to move around within the program. The text of the book was extremely clear to read and quickly rendered when turning pages. Other text programs I’ve used in the past had annoying delays going from page to page. However, the initial opening of the app the very first time I launched it had an abnormal delay of up to a minute, and I thought the app was hung.

While reading the book, I was able to quickly leave the program, check a function, and reenter without crashing. In addition, the URLs listed in the book were live and could be double clicked and opened in Safari. The table of contents was live and clicking on an entry took you to that portion in the book. The only major function lacking from a true print book was an index. The book also didn’t tell you when it was at the end, which was annoying. The applications come with limited preferences to allow you to modify the colors and fonts of the book. The biggest problem with the book as an iPhone app was that it was inexplicably missing a search function.

David Pogue’s writings in the entire Missing Manual series are always easy to understand and comprehensive in analysis. I reviewed the earlier edition of iPhone Missing Manual and Pogue did an excellent job of covering the new functions of the 3G iPhone as well as Mobile Me and the App store. Peppered throughout the book are handy tips that even advanced iPhone users may not know. Pogue adds quite a bit of information on how to use your iPhone in a corporate environment and connect to corporate resources as well as help you to convince your IT department to let you get an iPhone. Also expanded was the syncing and general troubleshooting section, though trying to troubleshoot your iPhone via an iPhone app might prove difficult.

Pros: Unique product for learning how to use your iPhone anytime anywhere
Cons: Slow and confusing upon first use, no search function

Four out of Five DogCows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

First up is an app that actually spans the Mac and the iPhone. I’ve been using June Clould’s Delivery Status widget for years to keep track of Amazon.com, USPS , Fedex and UPS packages and now they’ve released a companion iPhone app for $2.99. This allows you to check packages via the iPhone when you’re on the go, but if you’ve ever tried to type in the 16 digit tracking codes with the iPhone (remember, no cut and paste) it tends to sour the experience. Well, June Cloud’s got you covered. Once you setup and account you can then sync your tracking data between the desktop widget and the iPhone and never have to type in those crazy numbers to your iPhone again!

Check out their site (junecloud.com) for all the details and I hope you’ve enjoyed the first installment of Random App!

Similar to the original version, each iPhone concept is devoted one entire page, no matter how complex or simple the subject. Turning on vibrate mode on your iPhone is given the same space as iTunes library syncing as setting up email accounts. If the superfluous white space and screen shots were taken out, the book would probably be about 1/4 it’s current size. The target user for this book is someone who probably wouldn’t normally buy a computer book. With the pictures and white space it’s a quick and easy read and allows the reader to pick up the book without having to remember where they left off. The reader will have a basic understanding of the critical aspects of the iPhone in a very short period of time.

Overall, the book is easy to read, but would only be helpful to the absolute beginner new iPhone or iTouch users. Again, this review is short because the book is so short!

Pros: Quick to read and easy to understand
Cons: Not enough helpful information and explanations

The book assumes you have iLife ’08 and Leopard installed, and while focusing on iLife, it still covers such Leopard applications as iCal, Mail, Address Book, Safari, iChat and Time Machine. I would have suggested calling this an iLife book, but with the addition of some of the more practical applications that don’t fit into the iLife series, that wouldn’t make much sense either.

Overall the book is a competent overview of iLife and other Leopard applications. The book was lacking in some of Robin Williams’ trademark design. In fact, this book read like most other books on computers. The writing was a bit dense and lacking in full color photos and white space that increases readability. Dare I saw the book was a bit boring? The writing in individual chapters consisted mostly of features, menu commands and preferences and was lacking in practical applications or exercises.

After reading this book, don’t expect to become an expert in any of these subjects, but if you feel you want to “dabble” a bit more and don’t want to buy a whole book on iPhoto or iDVD, this may be a good book for you. This might be a good “in-between” book to help a reader determine if they want to explore iLife further. I would recommend this book to a Mac beginner who understands the basics of their new Mac, but wonders what all those programs that came with the computer can do.

Pros: Broad coverage of programs that come with new Macs
Cons: Lacks readability and practical application

2 out of 5 dogcows
This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Stellar is a primarily a PC based software manufacturer and it shows. Their user interface doesn’t look like a Mac program. It follows few, if any MacOS design conventions. In particular, their help system uses Windows icons and the Windows help interface. Their marketing material also shows a fundamental lack of Macintosh background. They refer to repair situations that only occur on older systems running OS 9. In addition, they refer to “Lacie” [sic] drives, when they apparently means external hard drives. Why they are using the generic term “LaCie” to refer to external hard drives is unclear, but I’m sure Maxtor, Seagate, and Other World Computing are annoyed by it.

As stated earlier, the interface of the program doesn’t follow Mac conventions and is quite confusing. You are faced with three choices for recovery: “Hard Drive”, “iPod”, or “Recover Photos, Music & Video Files.” However, the options are basically the same whichever one you choose, which is confusing. Once you choose one of the recovery types you have to decide between “Formatted media/Lost File Recovery” and “Search Lost/Deleted Volumes.” The documentation doesn’t make clear the difference. The choices also don’t warn you it doesn’t recover from FAT32 or NTFS volumes, which many external hard drive and flash drives use. Other programs warn you of this fact, Stellar simply says no data found, which can be misleading at times.

Unfortunately, because development is done outside the US, the program documentation and interface suffers from the typical grammatical confusion that occurs after something is translated from its native language to English. Similarly, technical support is not US based and when I had problems I was unable to effectively communicate with them and have my questions adequately addressed. Do not count on being able to contact technical support if you purchase this product.

In spite of the language barriers and the interface, if you are able to figure things out on your own, the product seems to perform well. Obviously testing data recovery properly is difficult because most recovery attempts change the reliability of future recovery attempts. Nonetheless, I recently had an opportunity to try it both as the first program for recovery and the second program, and Stellar Phoenix effectively recovered data consistent with other programs in the same price range. However, unlike other applications in its price range, Stellar Phoenix does not have a bootable DVD version. You must install Stellar on a computer before you can use it. This greatly limits Stellar’s ability to recover in emergency situations. Most other programs cost less and offer more options than Stellar.

Overall, the program does work, although the documentation and interface is quite confusing. This would not be the first nor the primary tool I would recommend to use in a crisis to recover files off a hard drive. If other options fail you, Stellar is worth at least a try with their free evaluation and 30 day money back guarantee.

Pros: Works decently and is another tool to try for data recovery
Cons: Poor interface, documentation and support.

3 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Executive Sync promises to sync files “to servers running Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and more” as well as “keep your work or personal files up-to-date between home, office, and on the road.” It does…but not really. I had inaccurately assumed the product was similar to Sugar Sync or Drop Box: I specify the computers I want synced and this happens in the background. I was wrong.

Executive Sync runs only on a Mac and the way it syncs is by mounting volumes from Windows, Linux and other operating systems. If you want to sync with a Windows machine, you must network your Mac to the PC and Executive Sync treats the Windows machine just like another disk. SMB file sharing is not a simple task for the average user. More importantly, in order to sync files you must be currently networked to the system you want to sync files with. Unlike other programs that sync through the Internet, Executive Sync requires you to remember to sync the files before you leave the office. Not sure how handy that is “on the road.” In theory, you could set up a complex VPN so you could connect to your home or office computer from the road, but that is technology that costs significant money and I doubt the average person has any type of setup like that. If they did, they would have probably write their own software to sync files.

Inaccurate marketing aside, Executive Sync does synchronize files between two folders mounted on your Mac. The program was able to find subtle differences between two folders and keep them in check. It does not do this automatically. You must manually start the program and run the sync. While there is a scheduling option, the scheduling only allows you to make sure the files are in sync at the time of scheduling. If the files are out of sync, you won’t be notified until the program runs again. Not only does this make it less convenient, but the program is quite slow. I synchronized two folders on my MacPro with about 40 GB of files and it took almost four hours. While running, the program was a processor hog and I couldn’t do much else.

The final nail in the coffin of Executive Sync is the fact there is virtually no tech support for the product. It is distributed by Smith Micro, which has no technical support information for the product. When you click the link for tech support, it simply takes you back to the product information page. The product is not listed in their tech support forums or contact pages. The help section of Executive Sync is acceptable, but can never replace technical support if you have an issue that goes beyond what is covered in the help.

Ultimately, the product does the basics of what it says: synchronizes files between two folders. The user interface was straightforward and easy to understand and the installer was the standard drop into the application folder. The program lets you pick which folders you want synchronized and allows you to save the settings. However, the marketing is misleading as to the scope of what the product does and the inability to get technical support on the product makes it a program that is best to avoid when so many other higher quality options exist with more features.

Pros: Does accurately synchronize folders
Cons: Misleading marketing, extremely slow, no tech support

1 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

With OS X, killer tips simply aren’t as necessary.  I’ve read most of this series in relation to the operating system.  Each iteration of the MacOS makes usage easier and more straightforward and thus tips aren’t as important.  The tips in this version are less killer than they were in Tiger and much less than Panther.  Even though all the cats of OS X are dangerous in the wild, they are becoming easier to understand and domesticate in each successive version. My review of Leopard Tips is harsher than Tiger Tips because there is simply less to cover and there is much more filler in this book that is inappropriate.  The “sexy side” of Leopard weren’t really tips, but more observations and the “cheap trick” section was fifteen pages of practical jokes you can play on people running Leopard  Excuse me?  Tips on how to create fake dialogs to scare users and how to corrupt their video so they buy a new monitor is more like a little knowledge being dangerous.  Such “tips” ensures no IT department will want their users to keep this book at their desk.

Save for the “cheap tricks”, a vast majority of the tips covered are so obvious even to the non-technical end user, that I’m surprised they authors weren’t too embarrassed to include them.  Do most users really need to be told that you can hide the dock?  Also, this is either a pro or a con, but the last few chapters cover each iLife component.   Personally, I don’t use iDVD, iMovie, or GarageBand so maybe those tips are worth the price of admission.  When you do the math, the actual Leopard tips are about 80% of the book; much less than previous versions.

As they state in the intro , this book is not really for beginners.  If it isn’t for beginners, why do they include such basic tips as having iChat’s status be your current song?  Yawn.  However, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and there were a few cool tips in the book, in particular located in the Spotlight section.  I learned a few cool shortcuts to writing searches, which might save me some time.  I also found out how to make printers auto-quit after launching a print job.  You click on their icon in the dock and choose auto quit.  Oh no, now you may have no reason to buy the book.  Of course, if it really annoyed me, I would have Googled and quickly found the tip.

While the book is accurate, it is generally too advanced for a beginner and too basic for an intermediate user.   The book might be good for a new Leopard user, and possibly for a seasoned Mac user that simply wants to know some cool things in Leopard and doesn’t want to try to self explore.  However, that’s a stretch.  I really can’t find too many people who would get value from the book and the “cheap tricks” chapter, well that cheapens the book’s value to negative numbers.

Pros:  Has a few good tips
Cons:  Not enough tips for most people to justify the purchase.  “Cheap tricks” are inappropriate.

1 out of 5 DogCows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Two different type of chargers recently came on the market with clear benefits and drawbacks to each. The odds are that one of these will greatly help you extend the usefulness of your iPhone 3G.

First, is the Richard Solo 1800 battery backup for the iPhone ($69.95 at www.richardsolo.com). Richard Solo was started by Richard Thalheimer, the founder of Sharper Image. I tried their previous version without much success and thus declined to review it. The 1800 is a complete redesign of their previous model. The 1800 has a much longer battery life than earlier models, and some very serious thought went into the overall 1800 package. The unit includes a car charger as well as a wall charger. Either charger can charge both the 1800 and the iPhone at the same time. If that wasn’t enough (but wait, there’s more), the 1800 has a built-in flashlight and laser pointer. Yes, freakin’ lasers (hat tip to Dr. Evil).

All these great accessories wouldn’t do much good if it failed in it’s primary mission of charging the iPhone 3G. Fortunately, it does a great job of quickly and effectively charging the battery. However, it has one major drawback in that it is very difficult to both charge and use the phone at the same time. The 1800 is about the size and thickness of the current iPod Nanos and sticks out from the bottom of the iPhone. This means it’s nearly impossible to charge the phone while in your pocket. Richard Solo includes a connector to keep the battery firmly connected to the iPhone while in use, but it wasn’t firm enough to keep the battery securely connected to the iPhone on a regular basis. I use it in my office sometimes while keeping the iPhone on the desk in speakerphone mode.

Even with the 1800′s awkward design, it is still a great product and I use it frequently. It fits effective along with my iPhone car mount so I use the Richard Solo charger to charge both the 1800 and my iPhone. While talking on the phone with the 1800 connected is difficult, it’s perfectly usable while using the iPhone for watching videos or simply surfing. In particular, I was easily able to leave both connected in the seat pocket of the airplane and let it pick up a charge while I had to turn off my electronic devices. It will charge most iPhones and iPods. However, one key disappointment with the 1800 is that it has no battery level indicator meaning I didn’t know how much charge was left in the 1800 as it charged my phone.

Using a completely different design concept is the Mophie Juice Pack ($99.95 at www.mophie.com). The juice pack combines a basic external case along with a battery extender. When attached, the juice pack adds about an inch of thickness to the bottom of the iPhone and makes the overall unit slightly thicker. Nothing too bulky. Unfortunately, you can’t use the iPhone with any other external case while using the Mophie no hard case and no silcone cases. The only type of protector that works with the Juice Pack are the plastic screen or case overlays. The Juice Pack is designed to be the exclusive external case for the iPhone.

When I tested the Juice Pack, I refused to take my iPhone out of my home. I was simply too afraid to carry around a partially naked iPhone. Who carries around an iPhone without some kind of protection? Apparently so, because after I used the Juice Pack for a day in my home and ventured out with my Otterbox securely protecting my iPhone, I found a vast majority of people I saw have no protection whatsoever. Naked, exposed and vulnerable iPhones out in the wild. If your iPhone is traveling naked, then the Mophie is absolutely perfect for you. Not only do you get extended battery life, but you get protection for your iPhone. While Mophie claims you can charge the iPhone and juice pack at the same time, I could not replicate these results; when my iPhone was plugged into the Mophie and the Mophie was plugged into the wall, only the Mophie charged, not the phone. Similar to the Richard Solo, the Mophie comes with it’s own USB charger and power adapter. Because the Juice Pack is designed to act as a external case, it is device specific and thus you can’t use an iPhone 3G juice pack for your iTouch.

Trying to compare the capacity in the real world between the Mophie and Richard Solo was impossible for me. I couldn’t use the Richard Solo all day because it didn’t fit into my lifestyle and I was too afraid to keep my iPhone only partially protected all day with the Mophie. After a few hours of use on a nearly drained iPhone, my Mophie was down about 30 and I couldn’t tell with the Richard Solo, but both devices fully charged my Phone.

Which do I recommend? For those that don’t use protection because it’s too bulky (I could make some analogies here, but that will be major TMI), the Juice Pack is a decent external iPhone protector that extends your battery life, and probably the life of your phone. If you don’t have an external case, the Mophie pack is clearly the better choice. If you are looking for the Red Bull quick-pick me up recharge, than the Richard Solo 1800 is great for you. Not only do you get the power boost, but the accessories are pretty cool as well. The Richard Solo is $30 cheaper to boot. However, you can’t use those worthless Sharper Image Gift cards to purchase the Richard Solo!

Richard Solo 1800
Pros: Multiple chargers, other useful functions of battery pack
Cons: For ergonomic reasons, generally can’t use the charger while using the phone

3 out of 5 dogcows

Mophie Juice Pack for the 3G
Pros: External case, slim design, battery indicators
Cons: Requires removal of any other external case

3 out of 5 dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Previously, my phone would be in my pocket, or my briefcase, or various other places. I tried the cupholder, but got nervous about my coffee spilling. I tried the glove compartment, but then it got knocked around. Most car accessories weren’t designed for the iPhone 3G or required rather hideous stick-on devices for the windshield or dashboard. Even with those, the stability was marginal at best. Their key fault was that all cars are not designed the same, so something that works well in one car, won’t work well in another vehicle.

ProClip is truly unique,and solves this problem. The clip consists of two parts. The first part is custom designed for your car; the “vehicle mount“. I had to specify the exact make and model for the car: 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix. The vehicle mount differs from car to car. Some go near the radio, some near a vent, some in the middle console. The experts at ProClip determine the most stable place to mount your device. Often times it requires a little bit of prying. I was wary about that at first, but it was very easy. It wasn’t any harder than putting my iPhone in a hard case. Just place the tool at the predetermined spots in car and slip in the ProClip. I’ve had more trouble assembling a hard shell iPhone case then I did a ProClip.

The second part is the actual container for the iPhone; the “device holder“. Unlike other iPhone holders, the ProClip has an adjustable model that allows you to keep your silicone or hard shell around your iPhone while the device was held in the ProClip. Again, I was skeptical about the ProClip. There was nothing to hold the iPhone in place except for groves in the plastic. However, after going over some serious bumps and even purposefully knocking the clip around, the iPhone remained stable and secure. Wow. There are other models that aren’t adjustable forcing you to use your iPhone 3G naked as well as models that include chargers and pass-through connectors.

Unfortunately, with my car, the mount couldn’t be in a worse place. It is extremely close to the radio and is in front of the volume button so I have to reach around the unit to change the volume. The closeness to the radio increases exponentially my problems with GSM buzz. Also, since I have a GPS on the dash, the placement of the phone partially obscures my view of the GPS and gets in the way when I want to program destinations. If I didn’t have the GPS, the iPhone is in the perfect position for turn by turn direction viewing. If the placement in front of the radio wasn’t bad enough, the ProClip also sits right in front of the heating vent, which means that on cold winter days I can’t use that vent unless I want a blast of hot air to turn my iPhone into a toasty brick of plastic goo.

These mount problems are very vehicle specific. My spouse’s 2008 Camry allows for a mount much further away from the radio and air vents. The website shows pictures exactly where the clip would mount on your vehicle. An associate of mine has the same car I do and has a ProClip mount. He never listens to the radio, has no GPS, and doesn’t mind loosing one of the vents. In other words, my situation is unique.

ProClip is not a inexpensive solution. Vehicle mounts average $35 and the device holders are $30-$50. Also there is a 15% restocking fee should you need to return the item. That policy is a bit disappointing consider how personal and specific these vehicle mounts are.

In spite of these faults, I still use my ProClip unless I have a particularly bad GPS buzz problem or it’s a really cold day. I enjoy knowing exactly where my iPhone is and I can easily see callers while I’m driving. When my GPS doesn’t have my client’s address, my iPhone is always able to find it.

Pros: Custom designed holder for your iPhone and your vehicle. Keep your iPhone in reach without messy suction cups or mounting tape
Cons: Very vehicle specific and often requires you to compromise other vehicle functions. Unfair restocking fee.

3 out of 5 Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

I remember my first CompuServe experience back in the early 80s. We were living in Ohio and my uncle worked in Columbus for some computer company. He had his own computer, which was absolutely amazing to me. I was in middle school at the time and remember being allowed to use the TRS-80 in the administrative offices. The computers were cool and I was hooked. I could chat with girls who didn’t take one look at me and walk away.

“On the Way to the Web” brought back a lot of memories about the early days of the Internet and on-line services. I’m not sure people who weren’t involved in on-line computing during the 80s and 90s would have that same nostalgic smile. If hearing the words eWorld or AppleLink doesn’t ring any bells then you probably wouldn’t enjoy this book. Banks assumes you know these services and their place in online history, and more importantly, how their development was parallel to the development of the greater Internet. Having lived through this dramatic time in history I still found myself confused on the relationship between these services and the Internet.

The first few chapters are amazing, and effectively captured the headiness of those early days during the 1970s when TCP/IP was not preordained to be the preferred way of computers talking to each other. After commercial online services entered the scene, Banks focuses primarily on those services and their lineage. While online services were clearly important to get us where we are today, he tells the history in a dry and matter-of-fact manner without explaining what else was going on at the time. The level of detail he went into about how these services was over the top. The book is hard to follow because the author tells too many stories at once. I constantly had to refer to the appendix to review the timeline. I expected more about the people involved, rather than the competing companies and their online strategies.

Overall the book was an enjoyable trip down memory lane, but fails to explain how we got from the origins of the Internet to where we are today.

Pros: Nice historical overview of the Internet
Cons: Hard to follow

Two out of Five dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

When I had a bit of an accident with my last iPhone a month after purchase, I was determined to find the ultimate case. I wanted a case that was comfortable and functional yet protected my iPhone as much as possible. A quest! A quest not with trusty steed and map, but with my trusty Macbook and search engine. I wrote a list of exactly what I wanted: protect every single exposed port, silicone on the outside to prevent slippage, hard shell protection in case of impact, protect the screen without reducing the ability to tap, and finally still fit in my pocket and iPhone accessories. That case is the Otterbox Defender.

What is an Otterbox Defender? I remember seeing something about them at the MacWorld press room, but if you’ve seen one iPhone case you’e seen them all. Boy was I wrong! My quest came to an end once I installed the Otterbox Defender. This is clearly the 800 pound gorilla of iPhone protection and function. The Otterbox Defender consists of two main parts. First is the silicone overshell that protects ALL the ports, and I mean all: the volume, the headphone jack, the docking port, the ring silencer; everything. When the silicone shell is on, not a single port of your iPhone is exposed, though it’s very easy to operate the buttons through the silicone (or to flip open the protector.).

The other part of the Otterbox Defender is a hard shell case underneath the easily removable silicone. The hard shell includes a screen protector built in, so you don’t have to worry about those annoying bubbles underneath those stick-on screen protectors. The shell even covers the speakers at the bottom and the front with a slight bit of cloth (remember none of the iPhone case is exposed). Honestly, I noticed maybe a 5% reduction in sound quality when it is in the hard case. However, the slight sacrifice in sound quality is far outweighed by knowing my $300 investment is protected. The camera shutter also has a plastic overlay to protect it while still allowing you to take pictures. The pictures are every so slightly less clear with the plastic overlay, however cleanup in iPhoto restored them to near perfect quality and people couldn’t tell the difference between photos were taken with the case on and with the case off.

I used the case for over a month now, trying to weigh the pros and cons of the case. Besides a slight reduction in voice and picture quality, the case is just about perfect and I’m hard pressed to find any cons. Sure maybe maybe a transparent aluminum or the ability of the iPhone to accept a Shields Up voice command would clearly be the ideal solution, but in the 21st century the Otterbox is the best balance of protection and function on the market.

Finally, the Otterbox staff was an absolutely a pleasure to deal with. When I had a delivery problem, I didn’t have the run around typically found with large companies. Otterbox is based in Fort Collins, Colorado and is neighbors with one of the world’s greatest microbreweries, Coopersmiths, and gosh darn it, I think that just makes them happier people! I’m biased though.

The Otterbox Defender is available for $49.95 retail at www.otterbox.com and is hands down the ultimate iPhone case.

Pros: Protects every single nook and cranny of your iPhone and provides the best of hard shell and silicone protection, while leaving all functions of your iPhone intact
Cons: Slightly noticeable reduction in voice and picture quality

Five out of Five dogcows.

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

With the economy slowing down, more and more people are looking to sell their stuff on eBay. Putting items on eBay one at a time is a pain. Serious sellers use software to prepare and optimize their auctions. iSale is one of the best apps for creating and maintaining eBay auctions and is a clear leader in taking advantages of all the nooks and crannies of the Macintosh Operating System. They are a two-time Apple Design Award winner and their credentials shine through in iSale 5.0.

Some of the new features in 5.0 aren’t terribly compelling. For example, iSale 5.0 allows you to post your auctions on social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube. However, if you are posting on eBay, you probably already tried to sell your items via your social network, thus I don’t see much usefulness in this feature. Expanded in 5.0 for users running Leopard is the integration with iCal. You can be notified when your auctions are going to end so you can start bugging buyers to pay you.Of course, like with any new release, there are more templates and backgrounds for your auction, which is nice, but not really worth the price of admission. People don’t buy items based on how cool the template is.

The killer feature that makes 5.0 a must-have upgrade is the Research Assistant. If you sell on eBay, you probably already check for other auctions similar to yours as well as Google your item for facts to include in your auction. iSale 5.0 automates this function. Search for an item and it will scan a preset list of websites including currently running auctions on eBay. When you see an auction similar to yours, click “create auction” and iSale copies the pictures and text from the listing…even the category. Of course you’ll have to worry about copyright issues, but you can easily tweak things to comply. If you only want to use part of the text from a website, the Research Assistant allows you to easily copy and past the text from within the program or save it into a clipping file for later. I easily modified the Research Assistant to include eBay completed auctions and Google groups so I can see what the going price was for something and possibly copy info as necessary.

My one complaint about iSale is it is a processor and memory hog. Even on my MacPro 2 Ghz CPU with 4 Gig of RAM, iSale seems sluggish. It would often take 70-120% of processor cycles and over a gig of RAM usage for just a few auction items. All these features come at a price and if I sell enough on eBay, maybe I can even upgrade the computer!

Equinux has a great trial version. They’ll let you download the program and try three auctions for free. No reason not to try it and see if you like it.

Overall iSale remains a great program to sell items on eBay and the 5.0 upgrade’s research Assistant is well worth the upgrade price of $25.00 New iSale users will have to pay $39.95 for a single pack of $49.95 for a five user pack.

Pros: Existing selling features combined with the Research Assistant make selling quick and easy
Cons: Memory and processor hog.

Four out of Five Dogcows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

Fast forward to 2008 and utility programs are easy to find. A few Google searches and you’ll find a utility to do anything you can imagine on your Mac. Actually, you might be overwhelmed with the number of programs out there. You can read reviews, of course, which are always helpful, or you can buy something like Spring Cleaning which combines a bunch of utilities into one neat package.

Spring Cleaning combines over 30 little programs into one mega-utility. Spring Cleaning won’t repair your computer if it has a problem, but it will help you maintain your computer. This program isn’t designed for newbies. There isn’t a one-touch cleanup setting, but rather numerous subtle ways of tweaking your system such as slimming down universal apps or cleaning out certain caches. If you aren’t sure what those things are, then this program won’t be of much use. The documentation tells you what each program does, but doesn’t explain why you’d want to use it. Nonetheless, I recommend this Spring Cleaning for anyone running low on hard disk space. A majority of the utilities allow you to find errant files on your hard drive to reclaim space.

As an advanced Mac user, I have utilities that duplicate most of these functions, but then of course I have to remember which program I use for what function. Spring Cleaning is elegant in the way all these programs can be accessed easily. I also like the fact that the Spring Cleaning functions have scheduling and “undo” for many of the features. The handiest utility in my book is the “Quick Compare”. I’ve found few shareware utilities that match its ease of use and simplicity. It does one thing very well: compare the contents of two folders and merge them together, which is perfect when you are trying to sync a laptop and desktop.

Overall, Spring Cleaning gets its value in its ease of use and one stop shopping for intermediate Mac users. Even advanced technicians will enjoy having all major utilities in one application.

Pros: Over 30 different utilities put together in one package, scheduling and undo function
Cons: Skimpy documentation. Functions can be found in other programs in the shareware or freeware realm

8 out of 10 rating

When using the phone, I had difficulty operating the volume and the sleep/awake button. The case added so much bulk, you could no longer easily operate those buttons with your thumb because you had to press so deep that merely pressing your thumb on the buttons didn’t give it enough force. Granted, this isn’t the end of the world, but in the competitive arena of iPhone cases, every annoyance is magnified. I’d have to fumble just a little bit more when I forget to turn on vibrate during a business meeting. Also annoying was the inability to remove the SIM card while the case was on. If you often swap SIM cards then this is clearly not the case for you.

Aesthetics are an important consideration in cases. I ordered the black case, but the black case didn’t match the black of the iPhone. The Eco-Shield was a lighter black and light enough for you to notice the case didn’t match. Also, the plastic showed scratches very quickly and significantly more than an iPhone without a case. This is probably due to the type of plastic used.

As far as protection, testing is always difficult as I don’t have a bunch of extra iPhones to bang around, but the case did have some small shock absorbers protecting the back of the phone. Drop tests without the iPhone inside didn’t show shattering or cracks. The design is two pieces that snap together and the case wasn’t too difficult to remove, but didn’t come apart during my tests.

PROS: Eco-friendly recycling plastic reduces your carbon footprint
CONS: Difficult to grasp, showed scratches easily, and reduced accessibly of key functions

2 out of 5 Dog Cows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings

MercuryMover is a program designed for fast typists who hate using the mouse. For these people, clicking the mouse to access a menu or function is as obscene a gesture as showing one’s middle digit in public! I too avoid removing my fingers from the keyboard and use either my Macbook trackpad or my Contour Rollermouse. MercuryMover allows you to move or re-size windows without having to move your hands off the keyboard, and implements the idea well.

MercuryMover runs as a System Preference, making it easy to install and remove. I run a fairly complex suite of applications and ran into no compatibility problems. The special modifier keys to move or re-size windows are fully customizable, so if there is a conflict with an existing program, the MercuryMover keys can be rerouted. By default, the program is set to use the control, option ,and arrow keys to initiate a re-size or move. After pressing the hotkeys, use the arrows or “jump” modifiers to move the windows one pixel or one screen at a time.

On a practical level, this program isn’t going to change your life. The program shines when you want to have tiled or cascading windows open and need to move or re-size the windows. For example, I had iCal and Excel open as I was transcribing billing statements for client sessions I stored in iCal. In addition, I was remote controlling my desktop computer and MercuryMover allowed me to accurately re-size windows, which is a problem in a remote session due to “lag time” between mouse clicks.

Unfortunately, you can configure every key but the key to dismiss MercuryMover from the screen (it is set to escape and can’t be changed). As a keystroke economist, I’d want the key to close MercuryMover closer to the modifier keys such as control and option. Fortunately, you can simply click somewhere and MercuryMover gracefully flashes off the screen.

My major concern about the program is price. I firmly believe in the shareware pricing model and know that developers should earn a decent wage. However $19.00 seems like a large sum of money for a simple shortcut application. I wouldn’t be able to justify the purchase of this program based on the price, it simply isn’t worth $19.00 to save mouse-clicks to move and re-size windows and the price is out of step with other keyboard shortcut programs of this type.

Pros: Quickly re-sizes and moves windows without using the mouse
Cons: Limited configurability, price

Three out of Five DogCows

This article used with permission by the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group. The original article written by David Greenbaum aka DoctorDave or incorrectly Dr. Dave can be found here. RSS Feed for Dave’s writings